29 August 2025

Our Mission @ SJM

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

Quote

“The Jubilee we are now celebrating helps us to realise that hope is a constant source of joy, whatever our age. When that hope has also been tempered by fire over the course of a long life, it proves a source of deep happiness.”
— Pope Leo XIV

Principal’s Message

Dear Parents and Carers,

At St James’, the safety and wellbeing of our students is our highest priority. We are deeply committed to fostering a school environment where every child feels safe, supported, and valued.

As educators, we are mandatory reporters, which means we are legally required to report any concerns regarding a child’s safety or wellbeing. This responsibility is not taken lightly. Our staff are trained to recognise signs of harm or distress, and we follow clear protocols to ensure that any concerns are addressed promptly and appropriately.

We understand that trust between families and the school is essential. Please know that any action taken in response to a concern is done with the utmost care, confidentiality, and in the best interests of the child. We work closely with relevant support services and agencies to ensure that students receive the help they need.

We encourage families to reach out if they ever have concerns about their child’s wellbeing. Together, we can continue to build a safe and nurturing environment where every student can thrive.

Swimming Lessons Update

Last year, our P & F generously contributed funds to support bus transport for swimming lessons. This year, we are incredibly grateful to Bengalla Mining Company for their significant financial contribution towards our swimming program.

Unfortunately, we have been unable to secure intensive swimming lessons this year. However, with Bengalla’s approval, we are exploring an exciting alternative: engaging Royal Life Saving NSW to deliver the Aussie Lifesavers Program. This program is designed to teach students essential water safety skills, build confidence around water, and promote lifesaving knowledge in a fun and engaging way. We look forward to sharing more details soon.

FACE Meeting

Our next FACE (Families and Community Engagement) Meeting will be held on Monday 15^th September at 3:15pm in the School Library. This meeting will include updates on all things school-related, as well as a hands-on professional learning session for families on using Canva—a fantastic tool for creating engaging visuals and resources. We hope to see many of you there!

FACE Survey

Dear Parents and Carers,

As part of our commitment to continuous improvement, each year our school identifies a list of priorities. These priorities are carefully considered to ensure St James' Primary School, Muswellbrook is using its resources wisely and to best support student learning, wellbeing and school operations.

Examples of school expenditure priority areas that have made a significant impact in our school community in recent years include -

1. Implementation of Taekwondo & Top Blokes - developing student resilience & self control.

2. The introduction of The Sensory Room to support student wellbeing.

3. The purchase of a filtered water station to support health & hydration for the entire school community. 

As valued partners in our school community, I would like to invite you to complete a short survey, which will inform how our school will work towards its 2026 priorities. The survey also provides an opportunity for you to have your say on aspects of our school you think should be prioritised to ensure it operates at a high standard now, and into the future. 

Thank you in advance for completing this survey. Your feedback will provide valued insights into the wants and needs of our school community and strengthen decision-making.

👉 https://forms.office.com/r/x0Ad2tLTzq

Father’s Day Celebration

We can’t wait to celebrate Father’s Day with you all next week! It’s always a special time to honour the dads, grandads, and father figures in our lives. Stay tuned for more details about the event.

Warm regards,

Mr Aaron Moon

Religion

Last Sunday, our parish of St James came together in a joyful celebration as students received the Sacraments of Confirmation and First Holy Communion. We were blessed to have Bishop Michael and Father Victor lead this special occasion, guiding our young people in their faith journey with warmth and wisdom. Congratulations to Noah Paynter and Dominic Gibbs who completed their Sacramental journey!

We now look forward to our Jubilee Mass this Sunday at 10:00am in St James' Primary School Hall. All are warmly invited to attend this significant celebration of faith and community.

A reminder for our Year 6 students the Religious Literacy Test will take place next week. We encourage students to implement their knowledge of Religious Education and all they have learnt thus far. This test is online and is conducted across the diocese. We wish our Year 6 students all the best.

Mrs Lauren Gehrig
Religious Education Coordinator

Merit Awards

Class News

ES1

Kindergarten has been buzzing with excitement and learning! Last week, we celebrated the St James' Public Speaking Final, where our four confident finalists—Sophia, Vayda, Koa, and Charlotte—spoke passionately on the topic of Pets. Congratulations to Sophia, our winner, and Koa, the runner-up! We’re so proud of all four students for their bravery and expressive speaking.

In English, we’ve been diving into digraphs—two letters that come together to make one sound, like ck, sh, ee, ll, ff, ss, and zz. The children have enjoyed spotting these in words and using them in their writing.

In Maths, we’ve been exploring the difference between ‘teen’ numbers and ‘ty’ numbers—a tricky concept, but our learners are rising to the challenge with enthusiasm and curiosity.

We’re also practising daily for the Father’s Day Liturgy, which Kindergarten will proudly present on Friday, 5th September. We’re honoured that Mr Moon chose us to lead this special celebration, and we can’t wait to share it with you. We hope to see you there!

It’s been a joy to see our students grow in confidence and skills each day!

Mrs Smith (KG) & Miss Maher (KM)

Stage 1

We have had a busy couple of weeks in Stage 1.

On our recent excursion, students represented our school with pride and showed exemplary behaviour. Staff at the venues were full of praise, commenting on how respectful, attentive and engaged our students were throughout the day. Well done everyone. You made us proud!

In Religion this fortnight, we have explored what it means to belong to the Christian family. Students have learned that we are all a part of the Body of Christ, and we all have unique role to play.

In Science, we have been learning about changes in the weather. Through hands on activities and daily observations, we explored different weather patterns, and we have begun making simple predictions about the weather.

We are excited for the next weeks full of learning, creativity and positive behaviour.

Kind Regards,
Mrs Mitchell (1G), Mr Sabotic (1M), Mrs Ballard/Mrs Marco (2G) & Mrs Threadgate (2M)

Stage 2

What a busy few weeks we have had!

On Friday 8^th August Year 4 students participated in a reenactment of the Mary MacKillop story for our whole school liturgy. All students did a fantastic job rehearsing and performing and it was great to see so many families attending this event.

All classes were diligently preparing and presenting speeches in class finals, ready for the SJM final in Week 5. We congratulate Mri, Macie, Mikalyla, Marley, Charlotte, William, Shelby and William for representing our stage with pride on the day. A special mention to Shelby and Charlotte who progressed through to the Regional finals.

In English we have been working on creating a persuasive argument – and we all know kids can argue when they know what they want! We have been developing our skills of supporting our opinions with evidence and explanations and Year 4 have had a heated debate about whether or not a hot dog is indeed a sandwich – stay tuned for the decision!

Our Geography and Science units this term look at Australian landmarks and landforms, many of which have been created by weathering and erosion. We are beginning to plan our excursion to some significant locations in the Lower Hunter to explore these issues, are excited to be learing about how the world as we know it today was formed.

Kind regards,
Mrs Sylvester (3G), Mrs McLennan (3M), Mrs Gavin & Mrs Jacobs (4G) & Miss Cooper (4M)

Stage 3

It had been another busy fortnight for Stage 3!

Year 5 Burn Bright Leadership Day
Our Year 5 students recently took part in the Burn Bright Leadership Day—a dynamic and inspiring workshop designed to empower young leaders. Through engaging activities and team challenges, students explored what it means to lead with kindness, courage, and purpose. The day left everyone feeling motivated to make a positive impact in their classrooms and beyond.

School Public Speaking
Stage 3 students have also been polishing their public speaking skills, with many bravely stepping up to present speeches in front of their peers and teachers. From persuasive arguments to heartfelt reflections, the quality of speeches was outstanding. Congratulations to all participants for their courage and clarity—your voices truly made an impact! Congratulations to Penny Goodman and Halle Partridge for progressing through to the next stage.

A Visit from Dave Layzell, MP
Stage 3 was honoured to host a special visit from local Member of Parliament, Dave Layzell. Students had the opportunity to hear firsthand about the role of government, ask thoughtful questions, and learn how their voices can shape the future. It was a fantastic way to connect classroom learning with real-world leadership.

Upcoming Incursion: “What a Joke!”
Get ready to giggle! We’re thrilled to welcome the “What a Joke” incursion to our school soon. This fun-filled performance blends comedy with clever storytelling, encouraging students to explore the power of humour in communication and creativity. It promises to be a highlight of the term!

Our August Wacky Wednesdays have continued. It was great to see some crazy bottoms, shirts, hats & hair!

Mr Sweeney (5G), Miss Becus (5M), Mrs Gehrig & Mrs Somerville (6G) & Miss Dafter (6M)

Community Notices