Term 2 Week 9 (18/06/2021)
What Is On?
Tuesday 22nd June - S3 Presentation Night - Change Makers, 6:15 pm -7:15 pm
Thursday 24th June - School Awards Assembly
Thursday 24th June - Last Day of Term 2 for students
Friday 25th June - Staff Development Day- School Closed (child care available if you are registered with the OSHC)
July
Monday 12th July - Staff Development Day- School Closed
Tuesday 13th July - Students Return for Term 3
Tuesday 13th July - Zone Athletics - Coffs Harbour
Dear Parents and Carers
Today is the end of a big week at St James! with all reports in and waiting for distribution. All children participated in the Athletics Carnival to finish the term with a bang!
I was the Covid Marshall for the day, and while sitting on the far side seems a little strange it was lovely to watch the interactions within the races and after the running. The glorious "sportperson ship" ( is that a word?) of everyone was great.
Some of the highlights:
- a senior student who finished the 800m returning down the track to run in with a peer who was a bit winded.
- the true friendship of runners who embraced after they all raced fiercely against one another.
- the cheering of the teams ( it seemed everytime my phone rang, I could barely hear beacuse of the volume... and I loved it!)
- the children who ran 800m, 200m and a 100m sprint. It was a big day- I marvel at the energy!
- the student who lost a shoe, picked it up and kept on going.
- the Kinder children who ran 400m.
- the children who were in it for house points, competing all day.
- the relay teams. It is a big ask to get full teams with a small school population. To watch a team run down the opposition with pure grit from all the runners was fabulous.
- the dance off at the end of the day!( if you were gone, you missed a beauty!)
- the staff who did not get a break today, who ate on the run and who work like clockwork on these days.
- team work with the senior students who assisted with the pack down.
- Miss Smith would like me to acknowledge the teachers' race.
and for us as a school... HAVING THE PARENTS AND CARERS BACK ONSITE for an event.
Best ... thing ...ever.
Have a great weekend
Ann
Reports:
There has been an issue with the photocopier imaging when printing the school reports. (see below) A nice shade of brown! The service repairer has ordered the part and is concerned that the failure is imminent.
As a result school reports will be sent out electronically on Monday. If you hve children in senior school, please keep the reports safe as they will be required for all enrolements into high school (to be uploaded electronically.)
Class Parents - Thank You
A big thank you to the Class Parents who held successful Stage Social Events this term. Kindergarten families enjoyed mingling at Lions Park, Stage 1 families had fun (and were slightly cold!) at Ford Park and the Stage 2 families had a great afternoon at Main Beach. Please note that the Stage 3 Social Event is Sunday 20th June, 10am at Ford Park. Thank you Class Parents (Kelly Beckwith, Alyson Uebergang, Jade Madge, Kate Mawn, Juanita Haslett, Pip Carolan & Sally Brailsford), your time and organisation running these events is greatly appreciated! These events are such a great opportunity for families to meet and feel they are a part of our St James community.
April Ferguson and Tash Hancock
RE News
Accendere (a one-day retreat experience for Year 4 students) is part of the Lismore Diocese’s Student Discipleship Continuum for Catholic Parish School students from Years 4-12. The continuum starts 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 them on their faith journey through immersion in a day that focuses on the theme of friendship in Jesus. Research has shown that young 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 their commitment to faith.
We held our Accendere retreat on Wednesday for Year 4 students. Students engaged in a variety of creative activities that related to the theme of the day and that were designed to nurture their faith. Students had positive feedback from the day and especially enjoyed their pizza for lunch!
Mini Vinnies
As part of our winter appeal, we are collecting any warm blankets or clothing that you no longer need. These will go to people in the community who are in need during Winter. Items can be dropped off to the box in the front foyer in the school office.
Vinnies Family Sleepout
We are inviting all families to be advocates for the Homeless. We are hoping to raise awareness about homelessness and disadvantage in our community. Families in our school community are invited to take part in the Family Sleepout during the school holidays.
Choose a night, dress in warm clothes and sit outside in the cold until you start to feel cold. During this time, discuss questions around how you are feeling, how the homeless must feel, as well as share some facts to raise awareness of Homelessness.
Make soup together to drink to stay warm when out on your own sleep out/sit out. This is something that the Vinnies Homeless Van usually distributes to those on the street.
Take a photo of you and your family and email to yamp@lism.catholic.edu.au to be shared in the newsletter next term.
More information on the link below.
LOP News
Maths Activities:
Try these activities with your child.
Jack showing us how he solves maths activities.
Early Stage 1
Last Friday Kindergarten went on their very first School Excursion! We caught the bus to the Yamba Museum. Students explored telephones and school equipment from the past. We learnt about Mathew Flinders, Yamba’s first lighthouse, the Yamba Breakwall creation and we explored the Yaegl Garden. We had lunch at the Lions Park and many parents joined us. We also celebrated Cleo’s Birthday! The next stop was the St James Catholic Church. We were able to locate the: Baptismal Font, Altar, Lectern, Paschal Candle, crosses and statues of Mary. We had an amazing day learning, exploring and creating memories with our friends.
Stage 1
We have been reading the story of the ‘Bunyip in the Billabong’ together in stage 1. The story uses great adjectives to describe what the bunyip looks like. So, for writing we have created individual bunyips for our own narrative. Students had to use adjectives to label their bunyip, to describe its appearance, what it ate, what it sounded like and of course, give it a name. Everybody came up with some great imaginings, their labelled drawing will be used as a plan to lead into their narrative writing.
Mrs Lewis and Miss Smith
Stage 2
Featured in the Diocesan Good News this week are the schools from the Lower Clarence.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Our Stage 2 students working wiht NORPA
Stage 3
Birthdays
Savana Wheatly-Mazzaitelli - 18th June, Lucee-Mae Knox - 22nd June, Addison Duckett - 26th June, Mitchell Galouzis - 1st July, Lilly Stoddard - 10th July, Hannah Haslett - 12th July, Jesse Daley-Malone - 13th July, Mrs Aumuller - 18th July.