On Thursday 8th August we celebrate Saint Mary MacKillop, Australia’s first and only saint. Mary became a saint due to her work, along with Fr Tension Woods, for setting up so many of our Catholic schools around Australia, including St James. She placed great value in educating all students who wanted Catholic education, especially for the underprivileged. Her most well known phrase is “Never see a need without doing something about it."
Mary MacKillop Prayer
God of compassion,
We praise you for your servant, Mary MacKillop, who gave her life to serve you in the poor and oppressed. As she is honoured in our world, may we continue to learn to share her vision. Help us to recognise, as she did, that the poor of our time will hear the Gospel in the way we serve them. Be with us as we strive to follow her and carry out our mission of service and care. Amen
Taken from https://www.sosj.org.au/resource/mary-mackillop-prayers/
Confirmation
The Year 5/6 Class spent a peaceful day at Appila Springs in Week 1, reflecting on the theme of the Holy Spirit’s presence in our lives. Some questions pondered during the day were: What type of person would I like to be in the future? How would I like the world to be? What will I do to help the world be that kind of place? Where do I sense God’s presence in my life?
The Sacrament of Confirmation is the second of the three sacraments of Christian initiation. Confirmation completes Baptism, by which in the laying on of hands and the anointing with Chrism Oil, which first happened at Baptism, we are confirmed with the fullness of the Holy Spirit. Candidates are reminded of their participation in the ministry and mission of Jesus’ story.
- Celebration of the Sacrament: Friday, 9th August, 6pm
- Commissioning of Children: Thursday 15th August, 9:30am or Sunday, 18th August, 9am – Blessing and commissioning of children to live their lives with Christ.
All members of the community are warmly invited to the Celebration of the Sacrament.
Mary MacKillop Day
We look forward to traveling to Bowman Park as a school on Thursday to celebrate Mary MacKillop’s Feast Day. We will depart from St James at 9:10am and arrive in time for a short play before Mass begins at 10:30am. Following Mass, we will enjoy lunch and have time to play, explore, and learn with other Josephite schools in the Mid North. Please ensure lunch orders are returned by Tuesday.
Attached to the newsletter this week is a document with family activities to connect to the life and mission of Australia’s first saint.
Assumption of Mary
The Year 2/3 Class will lead us in celebrating this feast day on Thursday, 15th August at 9:30am. This ancient feast day dates to the 4th century and is a time to honour Mary and her significant role in our faith.
Vocations
This week, the Catholic Church across Australia invites us to reflect on the significance of our own vocations and how we can contribute to fostering them. It’s also a time to give thanks for Fr. Harold and Fr Ranjith and to pray for them in their priestly vocations.
YCS
All Year 6 students are invited to an afternoon full of fun activities with Sister Kerry. This takes place this Tuesday 6th August at 3:15pm in the Learning Centre.
National Schools Tree Planting Day – Year 4 Excursion
Last Friday the Year Four students teamed up with JCS students to make Jones Street just a little bit greener. The cooperation and teamwork skills demonstrated by our students saw us help plant 130 trees. Once all the trees were planted and protected with tree guards, students enjoyed a well earned sausage sizzle and fruit juice (supplied by Kelly Toyota).
We would like to offer thanks to Kelly Toyota for once again being a sponsor of National Tree Day and inviting us to participate.
Term 3 Assembly Dates
Each class will host an afternoon assembly throughout second half of the year to showcase the learning that has been taking place. All parents and grandparents are most welcome to join us. The assemblies taking place this term include;
- Friday 16th August – Year 4 – 2:40pm
- Friday 20th September – Year 5/6 – 2:40pm
2025 Enrolments
Enrolments are open for the beginning of 2025. Please contact the school and register your interest and book a discovery school tour. Children who turn 5 on or before 30th April can begin school in Term 1 of 2025.
Student Wellbeing
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day...Myth or Fact?
We will be trialling breakfast club for the remainder of the term. We understand that it is often hard to get children to eat before attending school and many of our students have a long bus trip to school. We will consult with the students as to which days we will offer breakfast and what the menu will look like. This morning many students enjoyed toast with a variety of toppings. Research shows eating breakfast improves cognitive function and mental wellbeing. Many schools start their mornings with breakfast club. This not only provides breakfast for any child who may not have eaten but also provided social engagement.
Pupil Free Days 2024 - Staff Training Days
The remaining Pupil Free Days this year include;
- Term 4 - Week 1 - Monday 14th October – Curriculum Day
- Term 4 - Week 9 - Friday 13th December – Handover and Curriculum Data Day
Premiers Reading Challenge
Not long now until the PRC finishes up for 2024. Our school has a long association with the Challenge and a high participation rate each year. We love to encourage our student’s love of reading in every aspect at St James. The PRC finishes on 6th September this year. The students are required to finish and record 12 books on their form to receive their participation prize later in the year. Have a chat with your child. Ask how many books they have read? What were they about? Did they have a favourite book or particular genre that they liked? Show your interest and they will gladly show you theirs.
Bundaleer Forest Day Excursion
All students from Reception to Year 6 will attend an excursion to the local forest on Monday 12th August for a day of outdoor learning and nature play. As this is scheduled on a Tuck Lunch Order Day, lunch orders will still be available and will be delivered to the forest. More details will be provided in the parent permission note via Operoo, which will be sent out soon.
Book Week 2024
This year’s Book Week theme is ‘Reading Is Magic’ and it runs from 17-23 August (Week 5 of this term). This event is a favourite of our students and staff alike, and ties in well with our love of reading. The dress up parade will take place on the morning of Monday 19 August after assembly. The students and staff will present their outfits to us all on the courts (weather permitting, otherwise in the Parish Hall). We invite all families and friends to come along to enjoy the parade. After the parade, you are most welcome to stop in at the Learning Centre to view the many displays created by the students during these coming weeks. The displays will be on show all week. If you can’t make it on Monday morning, any other morning or afternoon you can take a peek. The students are very proud to show off all their hard work each year. This year will be no different.
Second Hand Uniforms Available
St James has a great range of 2nd Hand Uniform items available for families to purchase at significantly reduced prices. Please see staff at the front office for assistance with this.
Parents and Friends
Our next meeting will be held on Tuesday, 20th August. Please feel very welcome to join us as we discuss how, as a parent body, we can best support our school. We look forward to seeing you there.
Year 4 Class News
This term in Year 4, we have been enjoying the final stages of our unit on data collection and representation. Our final activity is to create our very own data sample to collect. First, we had to decide on our topic, and then how we would collect the data we needed; either by writing and conducting a survey or through observation. Since then, we have been speaking to family, friends and people in our community to get as much data as possible. Once we have it all, we will turn it into a display of our choice (maybe a pie chart, column graph, or another) and display it for our friends to see!
Open Day – For New and Existing Families – Catholic Schools Open Week
Thrive with 5 – Article from the Australian Primary Principals Association
Why Reading with Babies is Awesome!
Reading with babies isn't just fun – it’s super important for their growth! Here’s why:
- Boosts Language Skills: Reading books, talking about pictures, and sharing stories help babies learn speech sounds, words, and how to talk.
- Early Literacy: Doing these activities every day helps babies get used to books and words, setting them up to be great readers when they grow up.
- Fires Up Imagination: Stories make babies dream big and learn about the world around them.
- Bonding Time: Reading together is a special time for you and your baby to connect and enjoy each other’s company.
Fun Tips for Reading with Babies:
- Start Early: You can begin reading to your baby from birth!
- Quiet Time: Newborns love calm reading sessions. By 12 months, they'll be excited and involved in story time.
- Interactive Reading: Point out words and pictures and make your voice lively with different tones.
- Pick Fun Books: Babies love books with rhymes, rhythm, and repetition.
Remember, every time you read with your baby, you're helping them grow smarter and stronger! So, grab a book and start the adventure together!
Important Dates
SAPSASA Soccer Training Crystal Brook PS - 4:00-5.30PM
YCS - 3:15pm
Mary MacKillop Day JJJ @ Gladstone
Confirmation Mass - 6pm
School Board Meeting - 7.30pm
Forest Day - Whole School
SAPSASA AFL Girls Trials Crystal Brook - 4 to 5pm
SAPSASA Soccer State Carnival 14th - 16th Aug
Assumption of Mary Liturgy - 9.30am
Assembly Year 4 - 2.40pm
BOOK WEEK Parade - 9am
P & F Meeting - 6.30pm
The Wizard of Oz Matinee - 12.30pm
The Wizard of Oz - 7pm
We acknowledge the Ngadjuri people, traditional custodians of this land.
Tuck Roster
MONDAY 12th AUGUST
Convenor: Annie O
Worker: Tamara W
Cakes: Rebecca S & Siobhan C
MONDAY 19th AUGUST
Convenor: Kate L
Worker: Louise Green
Cakes: Sam C & Peta C
Parish Mass
SUNDAY 4TH AUGUST
Welcomers: Claire S & Family
Servers: Harriet S, Bowie S, Penny W & Teddy S
SUNDAY 11TH AUGUST
Welcomers: Martin & Therese C
Servers: Pippa & Elkie C, Charlotte S
The Southern Cross
The Southern Cross newsletter and the online edition of The Southern Cross August 2024
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