5 May 2017

From the Principal

The start of the new term is a great time for parents to go through with their children and analyze strengths, areas requiring additional effort and make a plan for improvement, such as establishing a regular homework and study routine for older students and for younger students scheduling in regular time for them to read or be read to. The Parent Teacher conferences conducted last term is also a good place to start the conversation. Students are always welcome to seek additional support and ask questions from teachers during class.

The beginning of the term is also a good time to check that your child has the correct uniform and that it is worn every day. Your cooperation in this matter is appreciated. Next Friday (12 May) the College will be hosting the May Ball, it is an expectation that all students attend and participate in this event. If your child is unable to attend, could you please inform the College. Looking forward to seeing you all there.

Term One has passed with amazing speed and Term Two is already shaping to be another busy and productive time for all our students. Sir Ken Robinson a leading thinker on education, creativity and innovation and has just published a book, “The Element”, about some very successful individuals whose talents went unnoticed at school. He argued that the focus on educational change in the world is misdirected. Reform should not be focused on a narrow curriculum and standardised testing; schools should be full of imagination, creativity and diversity. Teachers here at St James Catholic College all agree that each child is born with tremendous God given gifts for creative ability and a massive drive to learn. The challenge is to stop this ability getting inhibited. Our College will continue to develop curriculum which is engaging and to build environments where students want to and can give of their best.

Standardised testing in the form of NAPLAN is on again next week. Your child’s teacher has prepared them for this throughout the term by incorporating the elements of the test in regular lessons. We endeavor to make the conducting of the assessment as stress free as possible. You can help by reassuring your child that they can only do their best and by checking they have the required equipment, pencil and erasers etc. The times and dates are included in this newsletter and please feel free to contact the college for further information if needed

Allan Clark, Principal

General Notices:

NAPLAN (Years 3, 5, 7 and 9) Testing

Schedule:

• 9 May 2017 - Language Convention/Writing tests
• 10 May 2017 - Readings and catch-up tests
• 11 May 2017 - Numeracy and catch-up tests

May Ball 2017

When: 12 May 2017, 6.30pm-9.30pm
Where: MacKillop Performance Centre (Gym)
Who: All Kinder to Year 10 students and their families

During the month of May Catholics around the world traditionally honour Our Blessed Mother Mary with special devotional services. The May Crowning of Mary has been practised around the world for hundreds of years and has been honoured here at St James Catholic College for over 70 years. In honouring Mary, we also honour all other mothers and women in our community. All proceeds from this year’s May Ball celebration will be donated to the McGrath Foundation which aims to make life that little bit easier for individuals and families experiencing breast cancer.

Some important points to note:

• All students are expected to attend the Liturgy and May Ball.
• At the conclusion of the Ball, students must be taken home by parents or an adult. If for some reason, a student is unable to attend, a note of explanation is to be sent to the Principal, Allan Clark.
• Dress Code: Boys wear a pair of trousers (not denim jeans), a neat open-necked shirt and dress shoes (school shoes would be fine). They may choose to wear a tie. Girls wear a formal dress, or skirt and blouse and shoes suitable for dancing. Parents of students in Prep or Year 10 will receive a letter outlining the special procedures for the night. Dress code for parents is smart and casual. Please note that due to the MacKillop Performance Centre surface, stiletto heeled shoes are not permitted to be worn by anyone. Flats, wedges or a similar type of shoe may be worn.
• Photographs: Photographers will be working at the Ball and prints will be available for viewing at Cygnet Newsagency (updates provided by future newsletters).
• The Ball will conclude for all students at 9.30pm, but families with younger students are able to leave with their parents as required.
• A gold coin donation is required to enter the MPC. Tea/Coffee/Sandwiches (drinks and food are not permitted to be taken into the MPC) are also available for adults from the canteen at the cost of a gold coin (NB: all profits will go to the Jane McGrath Foundation).
• A light supper will be provided for students.

Donation of flowers for the May Ball

If you have any flowers, fernery, twigs that you could donate to be used to make posies and also to decorate the MPC for the May Ball, these would be greatly appreciated. It would be appreciated if the donations could be dropped into the College Office by Wednesday 10 May.

Information for parents and carers

Board Nominations Sought - Closing date: 18 May 2017, 3pm.

All parent/care givers of students currently enrolled in the school as well as members of the local parish/school community are eligible to be considered for Board membership. The focus of Board members is to work to improve the capacity of the College as a Catholic school in order to deliver quality educational outcomes for our students.

Nominations for membership should be in writing and signed by the proposer, seconder and nominee and forwarded to Mr Allan Clark, Principal by 18 May 2017, 3pm.

Access the electronic application form link below, additional nomination forms are available from the office. At the close of nominations, following consultation with Fr Deva, Parish Administrator, prioritised recommendations are submitted to the Director of Catholic Education for decision.

The inclusion of different voices experiences and perspectives that support the Catholic ethos of the school bring an energy and richness to the College.

Please consider approaching those within our community that you believe have gifts that would be valued on the Board. Self-nominations are acceptable. If you would like to discuss a nomination, please call me on 6295 1541 or email: allan.clark@catholic.tas.edu.au.

The College Annual General Board Meeting will be held on 22 May 2017 at 6:00pm in the College Board room, all welcome.

Working with Children registration

All volunteers at St James Catholic College must have a current working with children registration.

The registration process will require the applicant to:

• Complete an application
• Provide of proof of identity
• Pay of a fee ($18.36)
• Undergo a National criminal history assessment and ongoing monitoring

College Photo Day

The College Photo Day will be held on Wednesday 17 May 2017. At the College, a pre-pay envelope system is used, parents select a package, fill in their details and pay for the photos, this envelope is then returned to the portrait company. A hardcopy letter with instructions and an envelope was sent home last term to each family. Please contact the office if you would like  family photos taken to receive an additional envelope.

Code Club

Sacramental Program

Parents wishing to have their children participate in the 2017 Sacramental Program please contact Mrs Connie Thomas at the College for further information on how to be involved.

SMS Absence Notification

The College now 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.

Little Lights – Birth to Four Program

Little Lights Playgroup is held every Tuesday (term-time only) from 9.30am -11am. Everyone is welcome to come along and join the fun. During the session, children will have the opportunity to explore, participate in art experiences, ride bikes and having fun with new friends.

Change of School Time

This term, the first bell will go at 8:40am. At this time, all students will move to their classroom. Year 7-10 students will begin homeroom time and the K-6 students will enter the classrooms to prepare for the day.

Uniform

The College Uniform is valued as a means of developing in our students, a sense of pride and dignity and a feeling of belonging, thus minimising the notions of status and inequality. A full set of Uniform Expectations is issued to each child at the beginning of each year and it is also available on the College website below.

Summary of expectations for students:

• to wear the College uniform in full, and in the correct manner as outlined in the Uniform Expectations document;
• to wear the College bucket hat during designated times and in the correct manner;
• to wear their ties knotted correctly with their top collar button fastened (Winter Uniform);
• to have their hair groomed neatly – Extreme styles or dyeing of hair are not permitted
• dreadlocks, rat-tails, less than no. 3 cut and unnatural colours;
• tie back hair that is longer than shoulder length, ensure that it does not cover the eyes/face;
• to wear regulation black leather school shoes and appropriate sport shoes;
• GIRLS – are permitted to wear a simple ring; and are not permitted to wear make-up; coloured nail polish.
• Shorts/skirts/tunics are to be of a reasonable length;
• BOYS – must be clean shaven at all times;
• No visible piercing is permitted except for a single one in the ear-lobe;
• No additional items of clothing or accessories;
• To use a school back pack which is not to be graffitied in any way.
• It is the expectation of the College that parents will:
• provide their child with the correct uniform;
• ensure that their child wears the uniform correctly;
• provide a note of explanation when their child is unable to wear the correct uniform.

Student Counsellor

My name is Karen Tyler. I have the privilege of being the Student Counsellor at St James Catholic College. I’m a Social Worker by background and work at the local Community Health Centre in Huonville. I work at the College on Monday’s and Thursday’s.

My role as Counsellor is primarily to support students through any significant difficulties they are experiencing at school or home. I’m here to work alongside teachers in the best interests of your children, but obviously have a different role than teachers. If you’d like your child to see me or if you would just like an initial discussion, I am really happy for you to phone me at school and we can set up a time to meet, or talk by phone. Alternatively, I can be contacted by email: karen.tyler@catholic.tas.edu.au

As well as my role as School Counsellor we also have a School Chaplin. Connie Thomas is in this role and is available to support students. Karen Tyler

Success Assembly

On Tuesday, that whole College gathered in the MacKillop Performance Centre to join in celebrating student successes for Term 1. This includes a range of FLAMES awards and the presentation of the medals to the Swimming Carnival Age Champions.

Primary FLAMES award recipients:

• Alfie Brown
• Anikah Jones
• Bailey Clark
• Eli Carter
• Heidi Turnbull
• Lucy Lovell
• Luke Cowen
• Max Polley
• Noah Bendall
• Ruby Duggan
• Sienna Drusetta
• Stella Flakemore
• Emily Jones
• Jack Walter
• Luke Clifford

Secondary FLAMES award recipients:

• Will Clifford
• Madeleine Nicoll
• Oscar Wood
• Chelsea Long
• Codie Rawnsley
• Myra Boucher
• JinJu Redding
• Isaac Leach
• Ellie Gregory
• Blake Patmore
• George O'Neill
• Mitchell Innes
• Maxi Taylor
• Bailey Gordon

Swimming Age Champions:

Year 4: Jesse Cowen & Mia Clifford
Year 5: Harry Brereton & Isobel Leckie
Year 6: Caleb Clark & Heidi Lovell
Year 7: Elijah Cowen & Keely Brereton
Year 8: Travis Hickey
Year 9: Riley Newick & Monica Robbie
Year 10: Bailey Gordon & Ella Brereton

Kindergarten News

The Kindergarten children have had some medical emergencies this week. We have been learning about our skeleton and our bones. All the baby dolls have been gravely ill, but luckily we have had some very skilled Doctors, Nurses and Ambulance personnel to help fix all our ailments. Medical play gives the children the chance to take control of fears, and to explore equipment that they may see in a Doctor’s office or hospital. The children have been able to extend their oral language skills with the introduction of new words such as x-ray, skeleton, bone names such as patella, spine, skull and ribs.

Kindergarten Doctors!

ANZAC Day

Students represented the College in a variety of capacities at the local and Hobart ANZAC Day services. Ellie Gregory and Jessie Burnett represented the College at the 11am Cygnet Service. Ellie read "Flander's Field" a war poem from WWI and Jessie laid the College wreath. Travis Hickey and Philip Nichols laid the wreath at the Geeveston 11am ceremony with Amelia Fennell and Monica Robbie attending the Huonville Service laying a wreath.

Thomas Reed and Greta McDonald attended the services at Cygnet, representing both the Cygnet Scouts and the College. Matthew Schmidt laid a wreath at the Hobart Cenotaph in memory of the Tasmanian Jews who fought for Australia. ANZAC Day goes beyond the anniversary of the landing on Gallipoli in 1915. It is the day on which we remember all Australians who served and died in war and on operational service. The spirit of ANZAC, with its qualities of courage, mateship, and sacrifice, continues to have meaning and relevance for our sense of national identity.

VET Masterclass Session

In the last week of Term 1, the Year 9/10 VET Hospitality Class visited Guilford Young College, Hobart to participate in a VET Masterclass. Students had a great day learning new cooking techniques under the direction of renowned Chef and GYC Hospitality teacher Mr Stephen Lunn. This session is a vital component towards achieving the Certificate I in Hospitality (SIT10216) course offered by SJCC. In addition, students had the opportunity to participate in a behind the scenes hotel tour at the Hobart Grand Chancellor.

Community Notices

Debbie Pushor Promotion Flyer

Southern Tasmania Successful Learning Flyer - Parent