Term 2 Week 6 (2/06/2023)

What is On?

Monday 5th June- Peter Sullivan Mathematics PL S1

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

Term 3

Monday 17th July - First day Term 3

Tuesday 15th August -  Confirmation- St Mary’s Church, Maclean

Tuesday  15th August- Dio Athletics  - Coffs Harbour

Dear Parents and Carers

Another busy week at Saint James this week. On Friday we had an excellent performance to celebrate Reconciliation Week. The photos on Instagram are wonderful and the whole school was very pleased to be able to join together for the performance. 

This week I have had occasion to be on the playground a bit during lunchtime. Some of the lovely things the children are engaged in include building fairy gardens, building forts, building cubby houses and building towers. The future of construction is assured on the playgrounds at Saint James, with every piece of spare plastic lattice, every old chair we kept for playtime, every loose palm frond, every brick, paver and rock in use. We are great at building these wonderful structures, step two in construction is developing as much eagerness to pack up when the supplies run out. 

Clearly I am not worried about this but we do have a rule that when everything is out and we have no more supplies we pull down and return everything to the carport and start again. This is also the policy with Lego. When there is none left, we start again so that there are opportunities for all and not just "first in best dressed". 

Also this week staff in Stage 3 have begun to organise some team lunch time sports for stages 2 and 3. The plan is to have a mixed competition for 4 weeks with mixed sports. What is interesting is that the sign-on sheet is on the Stage 3 door.

I have never seen so much interest in a single piece of paper in a school. I am not sure what the children are discussing as they hover around the door but it is clearly important and needs much discussion and consideration. I have not approached the children while they chat so earnestly but I do watch and smile. 

Last week we welcomed a new member to our staff and school family with the safe arrival of a little girl to Martin and Meg Dougherty. Lovely to know that mum and baby are doing well. 

Thank you for your patience with the cancelled assembly on Friday. As you will be aware we have had a significant sadness as a community and we will continue to pray for our wider school community and the whole of Yamba. We will reschedule the Assembly in the coming fortnight. 

Just a reminder, we have a Pupil Free day this Friday to look at the processes for our upcoming Review.

As always if you need anything or to chat please ring or pop in.

Ann 

Community Conversation- No2

On Tuesday evening 15 families attended the 2nd Community Conversation at Saint James. The community moved and seconded the motion to "Disolve the Parish School Forum  and move to s Community Conversations model."This was seconded and voted unanimously. There are now several steps which I must take to finalise the process and we will send out the new diocesan policy and procedure after it is tabled at the next meeting (date to be decided) 

Parents also gave valuable feedback on the School Vision and Mission as we move into the Review processes. The input was valuable and can be found in the front office, on the wall under our emblem.

If you are on site and would like to be part of the conversation please pop in and ask for me to give you a run down on where we are at and add your voice to the conversation on the wall too.

Staff voice is in blue and black, parent voice is in pink, orange and read and the chidlren in senior are next and I think they may be in fluro colours to make sure we can see where we have been. 

Stage 1 News

Maths

Over the past couple of weeks we have been exploring addition and subtraction in maths. Students are focusing on how we can partition numbers and creating ten to help make our calculating easier.

Science

We have been experimenting with materials to see how we can change them and what qualities they have. These experiments are helping us to determine what materials we will need to design and build our animal homes. We can’t wait to see what they look like!

Dance

We are building up to choreographing our own dances for creative arts. We have explored the different elements of dance and have been considering them when we are making repeated movements to music. It has been super fun!

Investigations

Investigations are in full swing. Christopher and Billy have worked as a team to design and build the most intricate tower in Construction. Cleo, Athena, Aria and Addy have been drawing and painting Indigenous Emu art outside. Jackson, Aiden, Chase and Kingston designed and built a Mini Putt Putt course. Grace and Amelia created a friendship necklace for each other in the Collage space. What an amazing way to begin our day!

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

Sacrament Dates 2023

Confirmation- Tuesday 15th August -  St Mary’s Church, Maclean. 

Parish Notice- invitation

Yamba Bible Group: 

Hear the Scriptures recited and take part in discussion.

All welcome from teenagers upwards (minors to be accompanied by a parent). Yamba Bible Group is an opportunity to discover the master story of the Bible and God’s plan for us.

Gatherings this month will take place on Thursday June 8, 15, 22 and 29 from 7pm-7.45pm in the Ted Howe Room (Cnr of Beach & Yamba St, next to the church). Bring a friend.