9 August 2022

Newsletter Articles

Our Mission @ SJM

St James’ Primary School community excel in education through living and learning in Christ.

Quote

Creator God, we thank you for the life and the canonisation of Saint Mary the cross MacKillop. She taught us that you understand us better than we understand ourselves. May we trust as Mary did, being mindful of your loving presence in all we do. Living today with Mary’s words leaning on you and trusting in your providence. Amen

“He wants us to take fresh courage – to lean more on Him and less on ourselves.” St Mary MacKillop 1877.

Principal’s Message

I cannot believe we are in Week 4 already. Where has the time gone?

Yesterday was the feast of St Mary MacKillop. Mary MacKillop was the first Australian to be declared a saint by the Roman Catholic Church. She was known as Mother Mary of the Cross in her lifetime. She was canonised in 2010 after she led a life supporting children in education, also by setting up orphanages and establishing the sisters of Saint Joseph. Those in her order supported local communities through these schools and orphanages. We have many schools that have been associated with the sisters, including our own. We are truly blessed to have Mary and her sisters led the way in Catholic Education.

One of Mary’s famous quotes is, “Never see a need without doing something about it.” This is something we do well here as a community. I think it is so vital to ensure we are aware of what’s going on in our community, whether it be school, community or Parish and do our best to meet that need. I do believe we do that well at SJM.

LEAVE: MRS SHANNON HALL

Just to let you know that Mrs Shannon Hall is taking well deserved leave this term. She will return in Week 10. Miss Eloise Hand will be the acting Assistant Principal in her absence.

COVID-19

COVID-19 is definitely still out there and affecting our Muswellbrook community, including SJM.

We are still vigilant at school with the following measures still being implemented:

• Hand sanitising throughout the day.
• Opening windows for fresh air in the classroom.
• Working outside when possible.
• Desks are cleaned every morning.

Please let the school know if your child tests positive for COVID-19. They still must:

• Isolate from school for 7 days.
• Not return to school until there are no symptoms.

If your child is a close contact of someone with COVID-19 they must:

• Test negative on a RAT for 5 straight days
• Be symptom free.

This has been a long and arduous journey for us all. But I again thank you for your support of SJM.

Please note: we have an abundance or RATs. If you need any please contact the office.

END OF TERM REWARD - OBSTACOOL

I am so sorry for this being postponed, but as you can imagine, the safety of our students is paramount. I do hope to confirm a new date with you this week.

CANTEEN UPDATE

Unfortunately, the Canteen refurbishment has been held up due to COVID-19 and awaiting building materials. It looks like the canteen will not reopen until 2nd September. If there are any changes to this, I will let you know.

Mr Aaron Moon
Principal

Religion

Catholic Care Hunter- Manning opened their first Community Kitchen in Taree in December 2015 with the aim of providing a safe and welcoming environment for those in need. Since then, they have seen significant growth and have expanded their food services to provide meals in Forster, Toronto, Hamilton South and Newcastle.

Everyone is welcome at the Community Kitchens. On average, they serve approximately 800 hot and nutritious meals each week across their five locations. But the Community Kitchens offer far more than just a meal. With the assistance of volunteers, Catholic Care has created a space where people feel safe and enjoy the company of others. Their kitchens also provide an opportunity for disadvantaged people to access other service via information and referral.

Catholic Care Community Kitchens provide support to anyone experiencing financial hardship, homelessness, mental illness, physical/intellectual disability, substance abuse and social isolation.

This August we were asked to support this important partnership with our diocese and Catholic Care. This vital community program receives no government funding for the much-needed services that they deliver.

Our SJM community held an out of uniform day last Friday to support Catholic Care and help make a difference. Thank you to all who supported our out of uniform day.

The Mini Vinnies students will be participating in our SJM Mini Vinnies School Sleepout without sleeping to gain a glimpse of the realities of homeless on a personal level, to raise awareness of the realities faced by people experiencing homelessness and to raise funds to support our local Vinnies homeless services our local community.

On any given night in Australia 1 in 200 people are experiencing homelessness. This figure includes a staggering number of children and young people. You will notice that Vinnies uses the words “expressing homelessness” instead of “homeless person”. It is important to remember that homelessness is something that you experience, not who you are. The ‘hands on’ nature of the SJM Mini Vinnies Sleepout Without Sleeping, develops students’ understanding of the impact of homelessness and provides an opportunity to take action.

On Friday 12 August we ask that our SJM Community support our Mini Vinnies students by wearing their PJ’s or a beanie to school to raise funds to support our local Vinnies homelessness services in our community. By giving a gold coin donation to support this important service.

St Mary of the Cross MacKillop feast day is on Wednesday 8 August. St Mary MacKillop was an ordinary woman with an extraordinary dream and a courageous heart. Mary’s dream was to give families and children facing marginalisation, poverty and disadvantage, access to education and safe shelter by opening schools. As a passionate educator, Mary broke through the prejudice of the early 19th century to educate all – regardless of gender, race, faith or wealth – while ministering to the vulnerable with compassion. She and the Sisters of Saint Joseph went wherever the need was greatest.

At SJM we have a special link with St Mary of the Cross MacKillop and the Sisters of St Joseph and the Sisters of Mercy.

St James opened in 1862 as a Catholic Denominational school, funding was withdrawn in 1883 and the Sisters of Mercy took over the running of the school. In 1972 the Sisters of St Joseph took over the running of the school.

If you are looking at the original Charism of the school it actually one of Baptism. Lay baptised Catholic fulfilled their Baptismal duties as priest, prophet and king and taught children as Catholic educators. The government financed the school and paid the teachers.

In 1883, the government withdrew funding. The Mercy sisters who were established in Singleton since 1875, and had a presence in Muswellbrook, took over the running of the school. They saw a need for Catholic education in the community.

In 1972, with the declining numbers of the Mercy Order, the order could no longer staff the school. They asked the Josephites to take over the running of the school to continue the presence of Catholic education in Muswellbrook. The Josephites were asked as they had a significant presence in the Upper Hunter.

On Wednesday 8 August we give special thanks for St Mary of the Cross for seeing the challenges and barriers in her time and having courage to do something about it. Let us be led in solidarity by Mary to do the extraordinary and support our brothers and sisters wherever they may be.

For more information about St Mary of the Cross MacKillop and the Sisters of St Joseph or the Sisters of Mercy and Catherine McAuley

Mrs Jane Jacobs
Religious Education Coordinator

Primary Coordinator

BURN BRIGHT LEADERSHIP FORUM

This Friday, 12th August, 12 Year 5 students will be representing St James’ at the Burn Bright Leadership Forum. This day has been organised by Where There’s a Will.

This Forum aims to build the protective factors of regional young people, to build their own mental health and empower them for student led leadership in their communities. The day will involve a range of interactive activities and debriefs led by experienced facilitators, including the important of relationships, values, gratitude, and resilience. Students will also have the opportunity to plan their own projects to implement later in their local community.

We are excited to see what our representing students will come back and share with us!

If your child is one of the students representing SJM on the day, you will have received a Compass event notification.

JUMP ROPE FOR HEART

WE HAVE OFFICIALLY STARTED SKIPPING! Our program kicked off last Monday and it will run until Friday, Week 8 (9th September). On the last day, we will be holding a Whole School Jump Off!

It’s not too late to register your child!

1. Register your child online. Visit www.jumprope.org.au/parents
2. Set your fundraising goal Show everyone what you’re aiming to raise. Most people start with a $200 goal which you’ll easily achieve with a little help from family and friends.
3. Make the first donation It helps get things moving and sets the bar for friends, family, co-workers and neighbours (trust us, it works!).
4. Share your child’s page with friends and family and ask them to donate to support your child’s effort. Every dollar you raise will help fund vital research, support and programs that help save lives. Social media, email and SMS are a great way to get the word out there!
5. Log your child’s skipping activity so they track their progress and earn virtual badges.

Contact Miss Hand eloise.hand@mn.catholic.edu.au if you have any questions about SJMs participation.

SPELLING AND MATH BEES – TERM 3

Some important dates are listed below:

SJMs SCHOOL MATH BEE: Monday 15th August (Week 5)
SJMs SCHOOL SPELLING BEE: Monday 22nd August (Week 6)

If your child has qualified as a representative of their class, you will be notified this week.

Other Key Dates:

UPPER HUNTER MATH AND SPELLING BEE: Wednesday 7th September (Week 8) - St Joseph's, Denman.

DIO MATH AND SPELLING BEE: Thursday 22nd September (Week 10) - St Catherine's, Singleton

Teachers will be running their class bees during the first 4/5 weeks of Term 3. If you child has made it into the school final, you will be notified the week prior.

ST CATH’S NETBALL GALA DAY

On Friday 12th August, three teams (Senior Boys, Senior Girls and Junior Girls) from SJM will be attending the St Cath's Netball Gala Day at Singleton.

Miss Eloise Hand and Mrs. Jane Dengate will be the two supervising teachers at the gala day.

Consent to attend this gala day was sent out to attending students’ parents via Compass.

Additional Details:

WHERE: Singleton Netball Courts (Rose Point Park, Singleton).
TIME: Students are asked to be at the courts by 9am. The first round will commence at 9:30am.
WHAT TO BRING: Students will need to bring a packed lunch and snacks on the day (canteen facilities will also be available). Students will also need their school hat and a water bottle.

Miss Hand will be the main contact for this event. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact her via email eloise.hand@mn.catholic.edu.au

ABSENCES DUE TO COVID

Just a reminder that you are asked to contact the school to let us know when your child is absent because of COVID. We are legally required to ensure our class rolls are up to date, and we can only do this if you let us know why your child is away. If your child is absent because they have tested positive to COVID, and you have let the school know via email or phone call, there is no need for you to use the Compass app to add an attendance note. We will do this for you to ensure we are using the correct roll marking code.

WINTER UNIFORM

We have well and truly moved into the cooler weather, so we ask that all students wear their winter uniform. We understand that some items are in short supply in the uniform shop, so we understand that some students may be missing some items until they return to stock. Where possible, please ensure your child is wearing their full winter uniform, and not a mix between summer and winter uniforms. In case you need a reminder, this is straight from our Parent Handbook.

THOUGHT OF THE WEEK:

Choose kindness, always.

Miss Eloise Hand
Primary Coordinator & Lead Teacher of Positive Education

Awards

Class News

ES1

We have introduced a daily review into our maths lesson each day as a way of moving our knowledge from short term to long term memory. The daily review follows the ‘Recite, Recall, Apply’ strategy. The students and teacher read maths facts from the PowerPoint slide (recite), we remember facts and respond orally (recall) and we answer questions on our whiteboards (apply). The daily review retrieves knowledge that was taught the previous week and then interleaves that knowledge over a period of five or so weeks. It is supposed to be a very quick process but as we are just learning, it is taking us a bit of time to set up the procedures. The children are certainly enjoying the challenge so far!

Mrs Donna Smith and Mrs Jane Jacobs

Stage 1

In maths this fortnight we have started rounds of math challenges to find the finalists for the Maths Bee. This is good practice in addition, subtraction, multiplication, division knowledge and mathematical reasoning skills.

In class we have been learning about skip counting, sequencing, and rounding to the nearest 5 so we can answer questions about money and go shopping. We enjoyed adding money together and have explored what the new and old notes looked like. We can recognise what is on each coin.

Students have also practiced telling the time. We have learnt about o’clock, half past, quarter past. We are starting to recognise quarter to and precise minutes past.

We are building resilience and persistence in skipping for Jump rope for Heart. It is great to see the teachers joining in and reliving their primary school experiences too. Each week there is the opportunity to learn a new skipping skill. It feels good to be active and for the students to learn about their heart.

Miss Annerley Fitzsimmons, Mrs Mary Ballard, Mrs Trishelle Threadgate and Miss Jane Boyle

Stage 2

It has been a wonderful first 2 weeks for Stage 2. Students had the amazing opportunity to see ASPIRE’s 2022 production “The Cost of Wishes” at the Civic Theatre in Newcastle. The production was fantastic! All our students should be very proud of their behaviour on the day. We have also had our Tocal excursion, which was another great learning experience.

Students have been introduced to our Term 3 text ‘Li Lun, Lad of Courage’, which they are finding very interesting so far. We are beginning to develop our public speaking skills. In Mathematics, students have been exploring Whole Number, and Patterns and Algebra.

Miss Emma Beletich, Mrs Jane Dengate, Miss Eloise Hand and Miss Gabrielle Dafter

Stage 3

Stage 3 have had a fantastic fortnight! Students had the opportunity to see ASPIRE’s 2022 production “The Cost of Wishes” at the Civic Theatre in Newcastle. It was great to see the showcase of talent from all over our diocese and the experience of live theatre. Whilst sharing a special message to be careful to what we wish for, as these wishes affect more than just ourselves!

Students have also been continuing their learning about fractions and decimals and how these are converted into fractions and used in our day to day lives.

In English stage 3 have been practicing their public speaking skills and engaging their audience. Students have also been looking at a range of poetry including that of Hillare Belloc and identifying the poetic devices including alliteration and rhyme syllables.

Mrs Rebecca Harrod, Mrs Melissa McLennan, Mrs Clare Collett and Miss Lauren Osborne

Let’s Yabber – Indigenous News

At the end of last term we celebrated NAIDOC at St James’ and learnt more about this year’s theme, ‘Get Up! Stand Up! Show Up!’. Our Stage 3 CREST Crew did an awesome job researching and then teaching us all about some First Nations People who have done just that. Charlie P in Stage 2 was a valuable asset too, assisting me to break down and teach a traditional Torres Strait Islander dance, Taba Naba, to the school. Students also participated in storytelling, sand art, traditional Indigenous games and took part in starting a mural in our Yarning Circle Garden. A massive thank you to the men from FFR who donated their time to prepare the container for us to start painting. The bush tucker lunch is always a favourite part of the day. Thanks again to our super organised canteen helpers who make this happen so efficiently.

Lastly congratulations to the winners of our annual NAIDOC competition.

Our Special Edition Sports Shirts finally arrived and we are so happy with the final product based on our original artworks by Daniel Ellis. It certainly brightens up our playground on sports days!

Our Stage 2 and Stage 3 CREST Crew boys began didgeridoo lessons this term with Uncle Richie Lawton from Budbudda Dreaming. I am so proud of the way they have embraced this cultural opportunity. The boys sometimes give up their lunch times to be a part of this group and many are asking to give up further lunch times to practise! Love your enthusiasm.

Mrs Tania Thompson
Aboriginal Education Teacher

Learning Support

Students needing assessment for learning difficulties.

If your child has been identified as needing additional support at school and you are beginning the journey of assessment and diagnosis please read below. This information will be of particular interest to families already on waiting lists for Occupational Therapists, Psychologists and Paediatricians.

Med-Psych is a Clinical Psychology practice in Newcastle offering face to face or remote psychological assessments and therapy for various client needs.

They have experience supporting teachers, families and schools with assessments relating to ASD and ADHD diagnosis, dyslexia screenings and learning difficulties.

They have reached out to the school indicating availability, so if you are a family in need of this service please feel free to make contact with them. Link to their website is provided below.

National Literacy and Numeracy Week

Literacy & Numeracy Week is observed annually in August and September each year, and this year it takes place from August 29 to September 4. It is an initiative that was started by the Australian government to encourage reading, writing, and numeracy in students as well as recognize their achievements and the work of teachers and parents in the fields.

All facets of education stem from the basics — numbers and letters. This is why numeracy and literacy are such important structures that need to be embedded from a young age. These disciplines are the beginning and end of all forms of education, teaching the basics of mathematics, reading, and writing.

Literacy & Numeracy Week was created to encourage the exploration of literacy and numeracy activities. Digital literacy has also become a major part of the observance, to encourage the importance of learning digital skills in this new age.

WHY LITERACY & NUMERACY WEEK IS IMPORTANT

It fosters education

Any opportunity to learn something new, or build upon previous knowledge is one we fully support. Literacy & Numeracy Week is special in its own right because it encourages learning in all ages, particularly in children.

It includes digital knowledge

One fantastic thing about this week is that it now includes the learning of digital and technological concepts. This is very important in the age we are in as it gets children learning the skills they need to keep up with our fast-paced world at such a young age.

It encourages creative learning

The good thing about Literacy & Numeracy Week is that it encourages learning in the most interesting, simple, and creative ways. It is not the typical brick-and-mortar form of teaching, but rather pushes us outside the box to look for more creative yet basic ways to impart knowledge in our children’s lives.

Literacy and Numeracy are covered every day at St James, during our English and Mathematics lessons, but also as part of every day life and learning.

Students participate in literacy and numeracy warm ups which may be games, quick math mental practice, number talks and spelling activities.

HOW TO OBSERVE LITERACY & NUMERACY WEEK AT HOME

Read to your kids

This week mostly encourages the participation of children as they are still in their formative years. Use this week to spend quality reading time with your children or children around you. Don’t just limit yourself to bedtime stories, dust off some of your favourite childhood books, and gather the kids around for story time.

Encourage writing

All through Literacy & Numeracy Week do your best to encourage the children around you to write at any given opportunity. Some ways you can go about that is having them practice their handwriting, write out the grocery list for shopping, or even write our measurements and ingredients for cooking. Whatever opportunity you get to write, make sure you involve your kids in it this week.

Play board games

Games can be a fun way to educate children, especially as they have relatively short attention spans. This week indulge kids in some fun spelling games like Pictionary, Boggle, or Scrabble. Make sure you don’t leave out the numeracy aspect, get them involved in games like Monopoly to cater to that.

Mrs Renee Gavin
Learning Support Teacher

Library News

Library Borrowing

Tuesday: Kinder and Year 2
Wednesday: 4G and Stage 3
Thursday: Year 1, 3G and 3/4M

Book Week 2022

The theme for this year's CBCA Book Week is, 'Dreaming with eyes open...' The Book Character Parade will be held on Friday 19th August at 9.15am. Students will come to school dressed as, 'what they dream to be in the future' or ‘a book character they dream to be.’ If their costume is unsuitable to wear throughout the day, students can change into normal clothing after the parade. Please ensure your child brings a jacket.

The students will experience a variety of the Children’s Book Council of Australia shortlisted books, throughout the term, and respond in various ways.

Please see the new Book Week books below.

Premier’s Reading Challenge

The Premier’s Reading Challenge will finish on Thursday 18th August. All record sheets must be returned to the library prior to this date.

Please feel free to contact the library if any problems/concerns arise during the year.

lisa.wilson@mn.catholic.edu.au or 65433094

Happy Reading!

Mrs Lisa Wilson
Teacher Librarian
Mrs Nadene Douglas
Library Assistant

St. James’ P & F Association

P&F Committee Contacts