Week 7, Term 4
Welcome
Dear St James Community,
There are 15 days remaining in the 2022 school year!
There is a well-known saying that refers simply to the phenomenon that time appears to pass more quickly when engaged in something you enjoy....time flies when you're having fun!
We've certainly had a fun, busy, and successful year, but the next 15 days will see us engage in the swimming program, Graduation, step-up to 2023 grades session, praise & worship, assembly, end-of-year liturgy, Year 6 Dinner Dance, Christmas carols, Semester 2 reports, end of year celebrations, swimming carnival, farewell to our Year 6 students, and our academic learning....it's not quite over yet folks!
Yesterday our Church also celebrated the Feast of our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the universe, which emphasises the true kingship of Christ. It is also the time in the Church's liturgical calendar when we move from one year to the next. Currently, we are moving through Year C readings, and after this feast, we move to Year A readings, which begins with advent; our time of waiting and preparing for Jesus' birth at Christmas.
I pray that the final few weeks of school pass by positively in a spirit of community, joy, and learning so that everyone can experience a strong sense of belonging to the St James 'Family in Christ.'
Introducing our new staff
We are delighted to introduce our new teachers for 2023. Our students will meet and greet them on December 1st during the 2023 step-up session (either in person or on zoom), and parents will have an opportunity to meet the new staff early in the 2023 school year. For now, we welcome Daniel, David, Karri, Marisa, and Michelle to St James Primary School.
Daniel Sutherland
Hello to all of the families at St James. My name is Daniel Sutherland, one of the new staff members who are lucky enough to be working at St James in 2023. I have grown up in Banora Point, spending much of my life in the area, and have great respect for the reputation that the school carries. I love my job as a teacher! It is so rewarding to watch students grow as learners and as people. I'm passionate about nurturing our youth and strive to give every student the best possible avenues to succeed. I have played football (Soccer) for as long as I can remember and I enjoy any time that I get to spend outdoors. I believe an early morning walk on the beach with my dog is the best way to start the day. My 1-year-old son keeps my wife and me busy; family time is where I am happiest. I am extremely excited to be joining the team next year and look forward to meeting you all during this time.
David Smith
I am thrilled to be joining the St James school community and I am very excited to be teaching year four next year! A little bit about me... I'm from Sydney and relocated to Northern NSW in January last year. I love to travel, being fortunate enough to have visited over 30 countries around the world. I have taught overseas in England as well as worked at Summer Camps in the USA. I love being physically active, playing touch football, basketball and rock climbing. Other hobbies include chess, cooking and watching movies.
Karri von Mengersen
My name is Karri von Mengersen and I am very excited to be joining St James as a full-time staff member in 2023. I relocated to Banora Point from Wagga Wagga at the beginning of this year. Since then, I have enjoyed exploring my new surroundings, getting my children settled, and at the same time working in a casual teaching capacity at many of the Catholic schools in the region. I am passionate about everything teaching and learning, and I am looking forward to becoming a part of the St James community.
Marisa O'Connor
I feel blessed and delighted to be joining your dynamic St James learning community and St Joseph's parish in 2023. I am a mother of four who is deeply committed to Catholic education. It is an honour and privilege to be able to work with children as they learn and grow in their faith. I began my teaching career in Charters Towers 16 years ago and then moved to Redcliffe where we had our 3rd and 4th children. For the last four years, we have been back in Charters Towers and we absolutely love the community here, but we have responded to the call to be closer to family. I am looking forward to working with Mr McTaggart, his team, and you the parents, as I love and educate your children.
Michelle Dermody
Hello Everyone. It is so exciting to embark on a journey up to the warmer climates of our wonderful country, as I am coming from Ballarat VIC. I have been teaching for over 17 years in Catholic education in a variety of roles and love the energy of schools. I have a passion for literature, gardening and am the owner of a Kelpie cross who has travelled more than most dogs, he has even been on a plane. I am so looking forward to meeting the students and families as well as joining the team at St James. See you in 2023!
Our new staff: David, Daniel, Karri, Marisa & Michelle
Commencing 2023
Please note the following arrangements for the commencement of the 2023 school year.
- Friday, January 27th: Teachers begin (Pupil Free Day).
- Monday, January 30th & Tuesday, January 31st: Mathematics Assessment Interviews (Y1-Y6).
MAI assessments for current students will be booked via Operoo. An email invitation from Operoo will be sent soon.
- Wednesday, February 1st: First full day of school for Year 1-6 students (8:40am-3pm).
- Monday, January 30th - Friday, February 3rd: Beststart Kindergarten Interviews.
Beststart assessments for Kindergarten students will be booked directly through the office. Further instructions will be sent via email soon.
- Monday, February 6th: First full day of school for Kindergarten students (8:40am-3pm).
After Kindergarten drop-off our Year 1 families will host a special welcome morning tea for Kindergarten families (Cheers & Tears); this will be held in the MPC at 9 am. Further information for Year 1 families will be sent soon.
We are currently updating the parent handbook, which outliness all known information, dates, and events, along with information on the policies, structures, and operating procedures of the school. The parent handbook is located on the school website and I encourage all families to be familiar with this resource. (https://www.bpplism.catholic.edu.au/communication-reporting).
Compass Rollout
As previously communicated we are very excited about our new communication & school management platform called - COMPASS School Manager, which will become our school community communication tool from the start of next year.
The Compass platform includes many different features, you’ll have the ability to:
• Receive notifications about school events, news, and information
• Enter an explanation for absences
• Update your family contact details (mobile phone & email)
• View the school calendar
• Download and view your child’s academic reports
• Book parent-teacher conferences (parent/teacher interviews)
• Pay and provide digital consent for events
• Order lunches from the Canteen
• Pay school fees
Your login details will arrive via your personal email address registered with us and each parent will receive a username and login. If you share an email address with your significant other, then you will receive two emails with two unique log-ins. Your username and password are
unique to you, families will not share a username and password and will come from an address
noreply@compass.email - you may need to check your junk mailbox.
Therefore, at this stage, no action is required by parents but please keep an eye out for your Compass invite email due to be sent out mid-January 2023.
Term 4 Dates and Events
Please note the upcoming events scheduled for Term 4:
- Monday 28th, Wednesday 30th November & Friday 2nd December: Swimming program [K-3]
- Monday 28th November & Friday 2nd December: Water/Beach Safety Program [4-6]
- Tuesday 29th November: Yr 6 Graduation Mass, 6pm St Joseph's Church, Tweed Heads
- Thursday 1st December: Kindergarten 2023 Transition & K-5 step-up 2023 class
- Monday 5th, Wednesday 7th & Friday 9th December: Swimming program [K-3]
- Monday 5th & Friday 9th December: Water/Beach Safety Program [4-6]
- Tuesday 6th December: Swimming Carnival [Y2-Y6] @ Murwillumbah Aquatic Cnt
- Thursday 8th December: Christmas carols, 6.30pm
- Wednesday 14th December: Kindergarten Graduation, 9am MPC
- Thursday 15th December: Celebration of Learning 9am & End of Year Liturgy, 11.30am Doyle Cnt
- Thursday 15th December: Year 6 Dinner Dance, 6pm MPC
- Friday 16th December: Final School Assembly / Last day for 2022
Thumbs-up
- Everyone involved in the Kindergarten 2023 transition-to-school program.
- The police liaison officers for supporting our Year 5/6 students in their learning about eSafety.
- All students for continuing to 'greet, treat and speak with kindness' at school.
To conclude
Our Year 6 students will Graduate from Primary School on Tuesday, November 29th; we extend our heartfelt congratulations to them on this significant occasion. During their 7-year Primary School journey, they have lived, learned, and grown in God’s love and have shared many special moments that they will cherish. We wish them all the best at High School and we look forward to hearing of their many adventures and successes as they reach for their dreams and experience life in all its fullness.
We pray that the road rises up to meet them,
that the wind will always be at their back,
that the sun shines warm upon their face,
that the rains will fall soft upon their fields
and that until we meet again, God holds them in the palm of His hand.
Amen.
