16 February 2018

Newsletter Articles

From the Principal

Welcome to the start of a new school year at St James Catholic College. It was wonderful to witness the excitement and enthusiasm of the Prep-Year 10 children as they arrived at school last week and our new Kindergarten students on Tuesday.

My first message to each of the students at the College assembly last week was to think about the College FLAMES values. FLAMES stands for Faith, Learning, Attitude, Mutual Respect, Encouragement and Safety. As a College, we encourage every student to do their best in demonstrating these values in everyday life. My message to students was to reflect and acknowledge one thing they are thankful for each day,

I warmly welcome our returning families, new families and staff, I hope that this will be the start of a very strong and successful partnership throughout our students’ journey with us at the College.

Ash Wednesday

This week, we gathered as a school community to mark Ash Wednesday. Ash Wednesday is one of the most significantly meaningful holy days in the Liturgical calendar. Ash Wednesday opens Lent, a season of fasting and prayer.

JJAAM

Student leaders Jin Ju Redding and Blake Patmore accompanied by Mrs Schnitzerling travelled to MacKillop Place, North Sydney for the 2018 JJAMM conference last week. JJAMM which stands for Joseph, Julian and Mary MacKillop is a community of Sisters established in 1866 by Mary MacKillop and Julian Tenison Woods.

The community of Sisters was developed to ensure that the poor and needy children to have access to quality education. This conference involved 24 Josephite schools from all over Australia and New Zealand, including 5 Josephite schools from Tasmania . Jin Ju and Blake undertook activities to develop their leadership skills and to lead in the qualities of St. Joseph, Julian Tenison Woods and St. Mary of the Cross MacKillop.

Save the Date:

College Opening and Commissioning Mass: Tuesday 27 February 2018, St James Catholic Church 11:40am – 12:40pm

God Bless,

Allan Clark
Principal

General Notices

SMS Absence Notification

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.

Student details update

Please return and complete the package of forms that were sent home last week. These forms include vital student information including emergency contacts, student and medical details. To help us update our records the office requires these forms returned at your earliest convenience. If you need a copy of the forms, please contact the College office.

BYOD Program

A reminder that all students from Years 3-10 are participating in the College Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) program. This means that students must bring along an iPad each day, charged and ready for use. Please note: Only Apple iPads and Laptops should be used at the College.

If your child does not have an iPad available to them, please contact Kelly Du Bois at the College to make arrangements to provide a device for your child. A copy of the BYOD agreement has been sent home to families earlier this week. Can you please read through the policy with your child/children and sign, a copy is attached for your reference. Thank you.

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 available on the College website:

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, e.g. undercuts, dreadlocks, rat-tails, less than no. 3 cut and unnatural colours;
• to tie back hair that is longer than shoulder length and ensure that it does not cover the eyes or face;
• to wear regulation school shoes and 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 one in each 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.

The College Uniform shop is open each Monday and Wednesday (term time only) between 2:30pm and 3:30pm. If you wish to order over the phone please contact the College Office: 6295 1541. A copy of the 2018 Uniform price list is attached for your reference.

Canteen Pricelist

Little Lights – Birth to Four Program

College Facebook page

Join our College Facebook page just type in: @StJamesCatholicCollege in the Facebook search bar.

Schoolzine / SZ App (College App)

Schoolzine is an online communication platform that the College uses to distribute and coordinate: newsletters, e-forms, absentees, calendar and online parent teacher bookings. The information can be accessed on any device, at any time, but you will need an internet connection. Follow the instructions below and install the app to keep up-to-date.

What’s been happening at SJCC?

Back to School 2018

Fabulous Friday

Ms. Cooper (Assistant Principal - Primary) has seen her first 'Fabulous Work Friday' visitors today! Each Friday, a few of the many hardworking students from each class are eligible to bring their work into Ms. Cooper's office to share their success. Last Friday, Ms. Cooper saw Morgyn, Hadley, and Elsie from Ms. Griggs' Year One class. These students had written about their summer holiday and had the funky summer self-portraits to match. Well done Morgyn, Hadley, and Elsie!

Makerspace

In September last year, the College won a Maker Projects – Stream A, an element of the Inspiring Australia – Science Engagement Programme grant to start a makerspace. This grant was provided by the Australian Government: Department of Industry, Innovation and Science. A huge thank you to Miss Cooper who applied for the grant and has organised this great resource. Miss Cooper explains below how the makerspace will be an essential resource for our students this year

Towards the end of the year, I happily made plans for the Makerspace on the Move: a small, mobile makerspace that would allow each primary class to benefit from the resources. The money was spent on tools and materials appropriate for Primary school aged students, as well as the storage required for these items.

This year, while the makerspace is still a work in progress, we are ready to start building awareness of, and excitement for, the makerspace. I cannot wait to share more news of our Makerspace on the Move as we start introducing it to students. There is still plenty of work to be done before full use of the makerspace can begin: including the risk management plans that are necessary when encouraging students to learn safely through inquiring and creating.

If you have any questions, suggestions or would like to offer any support for the SJCC Makerspace on the Move, please follow this link:

Or use a QR reader to scan the QR code

What is a Makerspace?

There are many different ways to define a Makerspace but essentially it is; A place where people can come together to use, and learn to use materials as well as develop creative projects. Makerspaces promote learning through play and can be created in a classroom, a library or even in a stand alone building. The important idea is that it is a place that can be used for a range of activities with changing and flexible educational goals and creative purposes. We have seen Makerspaces in all different shapes and sizes and whilst they are most commonly associated with using technology to create and design,typically the spaces will;

• Foster play, exploration and participatory learning
• Facilitate informal learning opportunities where connections between home, school, and community are enabled and encouraged.
• Collaborative learning where educators and students pool their skills and knowledge and share in the tasks of teaching and learning;
• Develop a culture of creating as opposed to consuming

What is STEM and why is it so important?

STEM stands for: Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.

The acronym STEM refers to these not as stand-alone subjects, rather as a way of thinking. STEM is about the skills required to learn science, technology and mathematics, and how engineering and design processes and principles are used to achieve an outcome.

Initially, students of STEM need to identify a problem. They then create possible solutions to that problem, which can be tested. The skills are inquiry-based approaches to teaching and learning.

STEM is important for future generations because future jobs will require problem solving skills, innovative and creative thinking and digital skills. Future generations need to learn how to think critically and flexibly in order to adapt to this rapidly changing world.

From the Sports Desk

Each newsletter the sports department will have a section dedicated to promoting sporting activities offered at the College and in the wider Community.

Welcome to 2018! This year Ms Cooper and Ms Davies will be keeping you up-to-date with all things sports from the Sports Desk.

Are you keen to maximise sporting opportunities for our students?

Do you have ideas, skills or experience that may help improve sport at SJCC?

Consider joining our Sport Supporters Club. We are not asking for a huge commitment. Please let us know if you are interested by phoning or emailing us (lynnette.davies@catholic.tas.edu.au or stacey.cooper@catholic.tas.edu.au)

The Sports Desk will aim to keep you up to date with links to sport in the community as well as events at SJCC

What’s On

Coming up this term: (see flyers below)

• Hockey (Hockey Tasmania)
• Tennis (Cygnet Tennis Club)
• Basketball (multiple club info below)
• High School Surf League (Surf Lifesaving Tas)
• AFL 9s: 16 March (Yrs 7-10) more information will be provided soon.
• Rugby Union - U14s to U18s
• 2018 Tasmanian Schools Rugby Union Championship
• Southern Storm youth football club
• Southern Storm Auskick program

SJCC Events

• Pink Stumps Day (Student Leaders fundraiser): 23 Feb 2018
• Years 3-6 Aquatic Program: 20-23 Feb 2018
• SJCC Swimming Carnival: 5 March 2018

In the Spotlight…

Each issue of the Sports Desk will place a spotlight on a sporting highlight and/or student achievements. This week’s spotlight is the College Rowing team.

The St James rowing team performed remarkably well at the Hobart Regatta last weekend with all rowers displaying their best results in the very difficult conditions of the Derwent River.

With first-place wins in both the 1st and 2nd Division of the Alexandra Singles Handicap, Monica Robbie and Maya Bligh received gold medals.

Other results include 1st P. Robbie/J. Wynter (HHS), U13 Double; 1st P.Robbie, U13 Single; 2nd N. Redding, U14 Single; 2nd P. Robbie/J.Wynter (HHS), U14 Double; 3rd M. Robbie/M. Bligh, U17 Double; 4th C. Robbie/N. Redding, U15 Double.

The team are headed to Launceston for the Northwest Schools Regatta this weekend. We wish them all the very best.

Southern League – Thursday 22nd March 2018 @ Kingston Beach

Welcome back! It’s that time of year again, Surf Life Saving Tasmania wishes to invite to your school and students to participate in the 2018 High School Surf League.

The High School Surf League, which is conducted regionally in the North and South of the state, has a focus on fun, team work, participation, aquatic skills development and basic awareness of the dynamic beach environment through surf sports. The students will have the opportunity to participate in a range of surf sports both ocean and beach including swimming, board paddling, board rescue and relays, rescue tube rescue, beach sprints, beach flags and aquathon events.

If interested see Ms Davies for an entry form and info pack.

If you have any questions or you require further information about the upcoming 2018 High School Surf League, please feel free to contact me at 6222 6555.

Cygnet Tennis Club – Tennis lessons

New players are welcome to join in with our professional coach, Michael Hewitt.

Players will be grouped into lessons with children of similar tennis ability/development.
Sessions will be held Saturday 10 February to Saturday 7 April 2018.
Cost: $80.00 (for the term).

Any queries contact Trent Cowen: 0438 342 234

Community Notices

You + Me = Community Festival in Huonville

The Huon Disability Network, in partnership with NDIS/Baptcare would like to invite you to the You+Me=Community Festival on Sunday the 4th of March.

The festival aims to build a bridge between community and the members of our communities living with a disability. People with a disability don’t always feel welcome in their community. This festival will bring together community groups, disability service providers and members of our community to have fun and find out more about the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

There will be many activities and shows, like the Choir of High Hopes (you can sing with them as well), the Bright Stars, Dance Studio 42, and there is also the You+MeChallenge where many prizes can be won. The Challenge consist of a series of activities and activities will be accessible for all without losing on excitement.

The festival starts at noon and will be held in Huonville at the PCYC on Sunday March 4th. For more information please visit the link below.

Huon Valley Theatre: Stagecraft Workshop

Huon Valley Theatre is holding a Stagecraft Workshop this Saturday, 17th February, at the Huonville Town Hall, commencing at 10:30am. It will provide an opportunity for performers to develop skills that will enhance their performance, no matter whether they are singers, actors, musicians, dancers or mime artists.

Huon Valley Theatre have been able to secure the services of a variety of experts from the performing arts and entertainment world who are prepared to share their knowledge. Tiffany Eckhardt, award winning songwriter and performer will share her knowledge of breathing techniques, warmups and rehearsal, selection of material and dealing with stage-fright. Teresa Marr, who is an experienced stage and screen actress and singer will be covering presentation and style, engaging with the audience and, importantly, what to do when things go wrong. Mike Fewings, actor and director will discuss, among other things, voice projection and creating your act.

On the technical side of things, Mike Raine and Robert Brackenbury, both highly experienced audio engineers, will cover the all-important area of microphone use, avoiding feedback, using a backing track and many other things that will make a performance sound professional. Cost is $15 per person. For more information please contact Shirley on 0427 186 593.

Health and Wellbeing Youth Advisory Committee

Salvation Army

Steve Biddulph

SaverPlus