Term 2 Week 5 (26/05/2023)
What is On?
Tuesday 30th May - Community Conversation
June
Friday 2nd June - Indigenous Performance- Ryka
Thursday 8th June - Close the Gap
Friday 9th June - Staff Professional Learning - Pupil Free Day
Tuesday 13th June - Polding Cross Country-Sydney
Friday 16th June - School Athletics Carnival
Thursday 29th June -Zone Athletics - Coffs Harbour
Thursday 29th June - Last day Term 2
Friday 30th June - Staff Foundation Day - Pupil Free Day
Dear Parents and Carers,
This week I am excited to return to the normal routine of Saint James. I should be careful what I say out loud!
I spent most of the week at Saint Anthony's, Kingscliff looking at all parts of the school in light of the ACER School Review Tool. The team was led by a reviewer from WA and it is always interesting see both see another site and hear about other experiences from other jurisdictions.
I worked with another principal from our diocese, Michael Piccoli, who leads Our Lady Help of Christians, South Lismore with 250-ish children and 30-ish staff. This school remains in East Lismore on the OLHC site which was designed for 96-ish children and 6 staff. It was lovely to hear how they are making every day count, with gratitude and with a positive voice for the future.
When the schools flooded last year St James’ staff immediately went their storerooms and prepared packs for the Year 5 cohort from South and I have tried to maintain a connection with this school. Over the next few weeks the Mission and Leaders Team will go on a road trip up to some of the flood affected schools to continue “their” and "our" focus on SERVICE. The team have been instrumental in looking beyond out school gates to serve others all year and there are still about 4 or 5 events to come.
While it is wonderful to see such leadership in our Year 6 group, it is not just the students who are in the specific roles who are leading. I could grab a photo of our whole Year 6 at the commencement mass earlier in the year and say “Well done” because they are all stepping up to lead. All of year 6 have a badge but the leadership also goes beyond the badge. I looked at the photos of the Biggest Morning Tea on Thursday where the whole of Stage 3 (including staff) were involved and need to be both encouraged and congratulated.
Well done Stage 3, you are doing a great job in leading from the top. The attitudes and tone of our school is every stage’s responsibility BUT when our senior children lead, the school hums!
Regards
Ann
PS We have had some week, last week!
Thank you to all families who have worked with us over the period of illness. I have been in education for more than 35 years and I have never seen as many children off on sick leave as we had this week (even in schools of 500 or more).
The CSO suggests that the pattern (as seen in metropolitan areas) is that we have about another 14 days until this settles but we are doing our very best to keep everyone safe and healthy. I was asked what number would be the tipping point this week but I belieive that we will manage with the good will of staff and access to casual teachers. This is my public thank you to all.
Ann
RE News
Accendere means to ‘switch on’, kindle to catch fire, light to strike, to produce/spark the flame. Accendere is a one day retreat designed for Year 4 students as part of the Lismore Diocese’s Student Discipleship Continuum for Catholic Parish School students from Years 4-12.
The continuum begins with Year 4 as students have completed the Sacraments of Initiation in Year 3 and are ‘switched on’ in a new way after receiving these Sacraments. Accendere Retreat helps to support students on their faith journey through immersion in a day that focuses on the theme of friendship in Jesus. Research has shown that people are making defining choices about their faith at a much younger age than in the past. This retreat will help support our students as they search for meaning and discern regarding their commitment to faith.
St James Year 4 students participated in the Accendere Retreat on Friday , where students travelled with Miss Imeson and Ms Forde to The Stella Motel in Yamba. Students engaged in a variety of creative activities at the retreat venue and Main Beach that related to the theme of the day and were designed to nurture their faith.
Students had positive feedback from the day and especially enjoyed their burgers and pizzas for lunch! We thank the teachers for organising this wonderful day for our students.
Sacramental Life of Saint James
The order of Sacraments in the Lismore Diocese is: Baptism, Confirmation (Year 3), Reconciliation (Year 4), First Eucharist (Year 4). All preparation is undertaken at school.
If you would like your child to receive these Sacraments, please contact Mrs Howland at school ASAP. We are currently finalising numbers for the parish office.
For your child to receive any of these Sacraments they must first be Baptised. If you have any queries please do not hesitate to contact me at school.
If you are interested in your child/ren being Baptised, please contact the Maclean Parish Office on 66451188 Mon/ Wed/ Fri 9am-2pm.
Renee Howland
Assistant Principal Mission
Sacrament Dates 2023
Confirmation- Tuesday 15th August - St Mary’s Church, Maclean.
Reconciliation- Wednesday 23rd August in Hall
First Holy Communion- Saturday 26th August, 5:15 – 6:15pm - St James Church Yamba
Community Conversations
Within the last hour you would have receivedan invitation to the next in the Community Conversations process. The agenda is :-
5.30pm-6.00pm
Dinner under the bigtop
6-6.30pm
1. Welcome, Acknowledgement of Country Prayer
2. Parent Consultation Agenda Item: School Vision
3. Next steps to move to the School Community Group model:
- Explain steps of how we move forward.
- Current Constitution
- Disolution
- Model which would go forward.
6.30-7pm
Watch the Corey Tutt Literacy event.
Please use the link below to book for babysitting and pizza!
National Reconciliation Week
The start of National Reconciliation Week is today. We encourage everyone to take this time to reflect on what National Reconciliation Week is about, and how racism still infiltrates so many systems in our society. With Sorry Day , Friday May 26, we remember the Stolen Generations, and acknowledge that forced removal of First Nations children from their communities is still occurring at alarming rates today.
Family and kinship lay at the heart of our connection to Country, and this day is a reminder of the deep-rooted impacts that government policy continues to have on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
The theme for National Reconciliation Week 2023 is Be a Voice for Generations. This theme encourages all Australians to be a voice for reconciliation in tangible ways in our everyday lives – where we live, work and socialise. For the work of generations past, and the benefit of generations future, act today for a more just, equitable and reconciled country for all. National Reconciliation Week – 27 May to 3 June – is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia.
Sports and Co-Curricular photos
See below if you would like to order Sports and Co-Curricular photos
Sport Dates 2023
Polding Cross Country - Tuesday 13th June - Sydney (Week 8)
School Athletics Carnival - Friday 16th June
Zone Athletics - Thursday 29th June - Coffs Harbour
Term 3
Dio Athletics - Tuesday 15th August- Coffs Harbour
Term 4
Polding Atheltics - Friday 13th October
Dio Summer Sport Trials -Friday 24th November - Lismore
Early Stage 1 News - What have we been learning?
In English, we now know 16 sounds and have started learning our sight/high frequency words, which we use daily in reading and writing.
We’ve been reading “The Book with No Pictures” and have been using our imaginations to create some amazing characters, drawing them and describing their features.
We are also loving reading ‘The Enchanted Wood’ by Enid Blyton, and have set up our very own wood as an investigation space!
Please come in and be enchanted yourselves, no matter what stage your children are in.
In Maths we have been learning about length and how to recognise smaller amounts within a group.
In Science we are learning about the weather and night/day,
In RE we’re exploring the Easter story,
In History we are looking at our families and our backgrounds, and we’re doing some awesome drama with Mrs Hollington each week,
- we love wearing the dress ups and becoming alternate characters! (Head on over to instagram to see the children as learners as it happens)
How can parents support the learning?
-read to every child you know!
- ALL mums and dads, nanas and pops- be seen reading by all the children in any family.
-be excited when your children read anything! and help them make meaning by being positive about their efforts to read.
Birthdays
Arabella Dendle – 31st May, Cleo stokes – 4th June, Reevan Harding – 7th June, Jacob Triggs – 8th June, Ava Scanlon – 9th June