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Dear friends of St James Catholic College,
THE INFLUENCE YOU HAVE
As I sit down to write this newsletter article I have just enjoyed a lovely Father's Day. I hope that all dads had a wonderful day on Sunday!
I have three children and they all live their adult lives in Melbourne. It involves a bit of coordination on their part to have gifts sent over beforehand, as well as getting on FaceTime together to pass on their love and best wishes. Of course I appreciate this very much but as an added extra my youngest daughter sent me this social media commentary she had come across.
Firstly, I'd like to thank the anonymous contributor who was kind enough to refer to me as a caring principal. I've been a Deputy Principal or a Principal of this College for more than 15 years and over that time I've met some wonderful people that have made me a better person. If being a better person means that I'm more caring, then I have the Huon Valley community to thank for that.
Secondly, thank you to the families that contributed to the initial question about the College. As families you have a wonderful opportunity to draw out the positives that we are as a college. There is no hiding from the fact that St James Catholic College has stiff opposition from other primary and secondary schools for enrollments. Word of mouth can make such a difference for prospective families when they are deciding which school to send their child or children to. Of course no school is perfect but I would hope that over the last four years in particular, that St James Catholic College has been synonymous with an excellent education and being a college that allows your child or children a wide range of activities that sees them flourish.
Please continue to say good things about us just like the people in these social media posts who speak the truth about the positives of our college - you can never underestimate the impact that your words have!
SCHOOL CLOSURE
From time to time, due to extreme weather or other unforeseen circumstances, school may need to be cancelled for the day. Please be aware of how this happened and how it is communicated:
In a nutshell, Mrs Elizabeth Radnidge and Mr Joe Sandric call the weather/incident by 7am, Joe makes the decision then contacts other colleges in our region, Mr Brett Tanner contacts staff via email and text by 7.15am, Mrs Sharlene Duggan contacts families via compass and text by 7.15am and Joe contacts buses.
Joe Sandric
Principal
Important Dates
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Joe and selected students on Huon FM |
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Year 3/4 Red Ball Competition - Cygnet Tennis Courts Selected Year 10 students visit Huon Trade Training Centre |
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Year 8 Aboriginal Studies Class excursion - Caring for Country with Cultural Burning |
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Year 6 - REV it Up Program - PCYC |
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Year 9/10 Speak Up Stay ChatTy Sessions |
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St Patricks College (Launceston) Band Visit |
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Primary Little Athletics Sessions Outdoor Ed Group1 - Kings Hill Walk Year 5 to Year 10 - Tas Police Education Program - Internet, Gaming and Social Media |
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Year 8 Outdoor Experience North West Bay Bushwalk |
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Year 6 Melukerdees Story Circles |
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Last Day Term 3 |
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Students Resume Term 4 |
First Holy Communion Mass
Congratulations to the following students who recently received their First Holy Communion at St James Catholic Church:
Benjamin Berdel, Angus Grace, Lawson Wilcox, Jeremia Berdel, Oliver Jennings, Hamish Wadey, Marley Brereton and Lacey Wilcox.
Thank you to the College’s Instructional Leader Religious Education, Mrs Sarah Peters, for preparing the children, and to our parish priest, Fr Warren, for conferring the sacrament.
SSATIS swimming carnival in Hobart
Congratulations to Jacob and Summah, who last week represented St James Catholic College at the SSATIS swimming carnival in Hobart.
New Zealand Pilgrimage
Last week two of our Year 9 students - Evonie and Blaze accompanied by Mrs Duggan, participated in a pilgrimage to the South Island of New Zealand. The students explored significant sites and places of interest in Mary MacKillop's life during her time spent in New Zealand with fellow AJASS students and staff from 9 Josephite Colleges from Victoria, New Zealand and Tasmania. There were so many wonderful experiences over the four days including visiting other Josephite Colleges, participating in a traditional Maori welcome, listening to the experiences of the first principal of Marian College (Christchurch), delicious catered teas, participating in Mass at St Joseph's Church, Temuka where the local St Joseph's Primary students led the Mass, touring Roncalli College and the Sacred Heart Basilica in Timaru, visiting Arrowtown and St Patrick's Church and Mary MacKillop cottage and the opportunity to explore the beautiful sites of Queenstown. It was a fantastic opportunity to further understand the influence and life of Mary MacKillop and the Josephites in establishing their schools and colleges throughout Australia and New Zealand.
Year 8 Sailing Huon River
Our Year 8 Outdoor Experience and Wellbeing class recently were able to learn the skills of sailing upon the Kerrawyn. We spent the morning sailing down the Huon River learning navigation, sailing and the history of the area.
Year 10 Religious Education
The Year 10 Religious Education class continued their studies on the beginnings of the Australian Catholic Church with a camp to Richmond and Port Arthur. In Richmond, they visited St John’s Church, a wonderful example of Pugin-designed Gothic architecture. At Port Arthur, we explored the early churches built for the convicts.
Chess Club
Social Media
Contact and communication during the school day
SMS Absence Notifications
The College accepts SMS absentee notifications. Please SMS: 0488 863 246 with your child's name, grade and absent reason. Please save this number in your phone for future reference.
Drink Bottles
Please make sure your child brings a drink bottle to school each day.
Have your childs medical details changed?
A gentle reminder to advise the school if your child's medical details have recently changed. Please contact the College office to ensure your childs details are current.
Discover Local History at the Kingborough Hub!
The Huon & Kingborough History & Museum Network will be holding a special Historical Display from 7–12 October at the Kingborough Hub.
Come along and explore stories and treasures from our 10 member groups. It’s a wonderful way to learn more about our local history and heritage.
✨ Free entry for children – a great school holiday activity!
All welcome.
