FROM THE PRINCIPAL

Dear All in the St James Community

The venue for the recent Edmund Rice Education Beyond Borders Congress in India that I attended recently was a

short walk from the famous Eden Gardens Cricket Ground in central Kolkata (Calcutta).

Cricket in India runs second only to India’s rich and multi-facetted religious traditions and beliefs. It was no

surprise then to learn that one of the latest Indian movies to open in cinemas there was a biopic of M.S. Dhoni,

recently retired and much hailed Captain of India’s Test Cricket Team.There would be many a church in Australia

that would yearn to have the crowds lining up to worship that lined up at the cinemas off the crowded streets in

Kolkata to watch this movie!

India does cult figures very well and many of them have become household names around the world for their

extraordinary contribution to humanity and particularly to the Indian people. Two most notable among these, of

course, are St Teresa (Mother Teresa) of Calcutta and Mahatma Gandhi.

There is an intense spirituality that characterizes all levels of society in India and I was moved by a statement made

at the opening ceremony of the Congress which read: “Inherent in every religious tradition in India is the sense of

the sacred, a sense which pervades the entire landscape – encompassing the lofty mountains, great rivers, rocks

and trees, flora and fauna – a sense which helps us go beyond the material world of individual needs and enables

us to recognize the divine in one another.”

Both Mother Teresa and Gandhi did precisely this. Edmund Rice himself is acknowledged as one who stepped out

of his comfortable world as a successful businessman to bring educational opportunities to those who needed

them most – those who were poor, those who had been pushed onto the margins of society. He did this not out of

a sense of duty to share his wealth, but out of a deep spirituality that recognized Christ appealing to him through

the poor.

It is imperative for all of us, then – teachers, parents, students – to acknowledge the dignity of each other and

provide a vision of hope through what we do. Each of us is the reflection of the divine to the other. As one Indian

mystic wrote: “Without God we can’t; without us, God can’t!”

Verification Day

Parents/Carers are reminded that this coming Monday, 17 October, is a Student-Free Day. Teachers in all

educational sectors across the State are engaged in verification meetings at the local and district level.

St James Art Exhibition

This afternoon from 4pm – 6.30pm, the College Art Department mounts its annual Art Show. It is always an exciting

opportunity to view the outstanding work of students from across all year levels. The display will be in the Ba-ra

Barimi Learning Centre and is open to all. I congratulate and thank our art teachers, Mrs Bronwyn Doherty and Mr

Aaron Hill, for the inspiration and expertise they provide for our students.

God Bless

Gerry Crooks Principal

ABSENTEE LINE

3230 8655

Please clearly state student’s name, year level and home room.

14 OCTOBER 2016 Vol. No. 28

Having trouble getting the College Newsletter at home?

Would you like to receive it via email? If so, please send an email to school@stjamescollege.qld.edu.au

and we will add you your mailing list.

1. Listen calmly to get the full story.

2. Reassure your child that they are not to blame.

3. Ask your child what they want to do about it and how you can help.

4. Visit www.bullying.gov.au to find out some strategies.

5. Contact the school.

6. Check-in regularly with your child.

Dates for Your Diary October

17 Student Free Day 21 Year 12 Formal 24-25 Year 11 Leadership Days 28 Free Dress Day 28 Awards Night 29 P&F BBQ Stall ,Bunnings Albion

November

4 Year 12 Twilight Retreat 7-15 Year 12 Exam Block

Deputy Principal Mr Tony McCulkin

Years 8 and 9 students are reminded that unit selection forms for 2017 are due to be handed in by

Friday, October 21. This is an important deadline as this information is used to design the 2017

timetable with the number of classes in each unit decided by student demand. Year 12 students

commence final examinations on November 7 with the last examination to be held on November 15. A

schedule of examinations will be provided to students. Year 12 students need to be attending school

until November 17 to be eligible for a Senior Certificate. Students in Years 11 and 12 must be present

for examinations. Students must not make travel arrangements to return home overseas before the

end of the examinations. Year 11 students must be at school until November 24. Monday, October 17

is a professional development day for teachers as many teachers are members of Queensland

Curriculum and Assessment Authority District Review Panels. There will be no classes on this day.

AP Pastoral Mr Martin Wiseman Attendance SMS

You would have all received my email regarding the use of a new SMS that is sent to all families of

students who are late or absent without the school being notified. This SMS is designed to improve our

communication with all families regarding the safety of their children. It is important to note that we

ask that you contact the College on the main number 38308600 to explain the absence as soon as

possible. Please do not reply to the SMS because it is sent by a computer and not a phone. If you have

any queries or feedback on the system please let me know here at school.

Formal

All the Formal money was required by close of business today so we can inform the Hilton of the

number. Parents and carers are invited to the students’ arrival at the venue commencing at 6.00pm. I

look forward to seeing you there.

Family Therapy Sessions

Dr Shannon O’Gorman, one of the College Counsellors, is offering to all St James families a Family

Therapy Clinic at the College. Common reasons for support include: behavioural concerns at school or

home, conflict over school work, complexities arising as a result of pre-existing medical or mental

health diagnosis. The sessions are offered on Monday, Tuesday or Thursday mornings from 7.45am

and are free of charge. If you are interested please contact Shannon by email

(Shannon.ogorman@stjamescollege.qld.edu.au) or via the school number and ask for extension 663.

Congratulations

We have a budding artist in our midst!! Frazer Campbell Year 9 CA. The Department of Families, Youth

and Community Care have purchased some of his work and will be displaying it in their

buildings. Fantastic work Frazer.

AP Identity Mrs Tricia Parry As the weeks move quickly towards the end of the year and mounting pressures with work and school

increase in intensity, it is good to be mindful that many of life’s pressures are cyclical and need to move

in close momentum with others. Life is a journey and some things appear to happen at a specific time

for a specific reason. This is sometimes difficult for us to fathom but I thought that the article from Joan

Chittister, as seen below, describes beautifully how many things within our lives cannot be rushed to a

conclusion without the processes first being completed. This is a gentle reminder that we need to be

prudent when completing tasks but we also need to be sure that we are giving them the right amount of

love and time to be completed in an appropriate way.

I hope that this week finds you well, and very much keep the journey of our students, particularly the

Senior Class of 2016 in our thoughts and prayers as they work towards the completion of this term. A full harvest Life is a thing of many stages and moving parts. What we do with ease at one time of life we can hardly

manage at another. What we could not fathom doing when we were young, we find great joy in when we

are old. Like the seasons through which we move, life itself is a never-ending series of harvests, a

different fruit for every time.

The skill of life, of course, lies in harvesting well and harvesting always, in taking the best that life has

to give at any stage, in being patient with ourselves along our way. The Sufi tell a story about what

happens when we force things: Once upon a time, the story goes, a seeker found a cocoon resting

quietly. Intent on seeing the butterfly within, the seeker held the cocoon in loving hands, breathed

warm breath upon it and watched with excitement as the butterfly emerged. But hardly had the newly

hatched beauty spread its wings then it died. “Why did my butterfly die?” the seeker asked the Holy

One. “To teach you a lesson,” the Holy One said. “Everything can be born in due time; nothing can be

rushed.”

The secret of life is to let every segment of it produce its own yield at its own pace. Every period has

something new to teach us: The harvest of youth is achievement; the harvest of middle age is

perspective; the harvest of age is wisdom; the harvest of life is serenity. The Rule of Benedict tells us to

do all things with counsel, to learn from those around us who have already gone the way before us, to

ask the opinion of the entire community when making major decisions. Those are all good lessons.

They can save us from ourselves. They can stop us from forcing butterflies before their time. They can

make the harvest full.

from A Monastery Almanac by Joan Chittister

Every Blessing for a Peaceful Week

Pre Formal 6.00pm to 7.00

pm

Formal 7.00pm to 10.30pm

Tickets must be purchased no later

than Friday 14 October

$115 single $230 double

Tickets may be purchased at

Student Services.

Jimmies Brekkie Van

All students in Years 11 and 12 are warmly invited to participate

in the Jimmies Brekkie Van during Term 4.

The Brekkie Van goes out each Wednesday and Friday morning, departing St James at 6.00am, to

provide a BBQ breakfast and be a presence to those who are margin-alised in our inner-city community.

Please speak with your respective House Deans to register for this

very worthwhile ministry initiative.

Year 12 Parents’ Formal Vintaged Bar

Monday, 17 October 2016

Formal Get Together for

Year 12 Parents’

From 7:00pm to 10pm

RSVP: Dawn Maloney at

0429338040

Middle Coordinator Ms Karen Lindsey At the end of last week, Assessment Calendars for students in Years 7 to 10 were distributed to

students. These Calendars outline the due dates for Term 4 in each subject area for your student’s year

level and is designed to assist students in organising their time effectively to meet deadlines. By now,

they should have transferred the relevant due dates onto the Term Assessment Planner on page 142 of

the student diary. Electronic copies of the Assessment Calendars are also available on the College

website via the “Teaching and Learning” tab.

Given that Term 4 is only of eight weeks duration for our younger students, please be aware that much

of their assessment will be due in Weeks 37 and 38. Although this will result in a very busy two weeks, it

is largely unavoidable as it is important that students are given the maximum amount of time to learn

new content and to engage with it effectively through practice and repetition before they attempt

assessment items. I would ask that parents and guardians keep checking in with their students

throughout the term to ensure that they are on track to complete all of their assessment on time. Should

you have any queries or concerns in relation to curriculum matters for Years 7 to 10 students, I can be

contacted at

Karen.Lindsey@stjamescollege.qld.edu.au .

Guidance Counsellor Ms Tania Munro

Year 9/10 Excursion

On Tuesday, 18 October 2016 Year 9 and 10 Design and Technology students will be attending a

Construction Industry Try a Trade and Site tour coordinated by Construction Skills Queensland. The

purpose of this initiative is to allow students with career interest in this industry to explore some of the

potential pathways. Those students participating can also gain valuable career advice from apprentices,

trainers, local employers and industry representatives. This is a hands-on interactive event and will take

place at the Brisbane Showgrounds redevelopment site. They will have the opportunity to participate in

Try’a Trade construction activities including:

Painting

Carpentry

Tiling

Plumbing

Plastering

Electrical

Bricklaying

Surveying

The bus for this event will be departing the college at 8:30 am so it is imperative that those students

participating arrive at school on time. Students will return to school at 12:00 noon and attend normal

afternoon classes. They need to wear their full school uniform including closed in leather shoes.

Jimmies’ Adopt-A-Cop Constable Ben Porteous I wanted to touch on recent media reports regarding a new “craze” that has found its way to Australia

recently. It involves individuals dressing up in clown attire and attending public places to scare/

intimidate members of the public. This craze has been popular in the US with a handful of incidents now

being reported here in Australia. There are currently Facebook groups attempting to gather support of

the craze in Brisbane, with individuals encouraged to attend schools. The Queensland Police Service

have declared zero tolerance to any individuals causing any nuisance/disruptions to members of the

public, especially school communities. I ask that everyone be aware going about their daily routines in

and around the school, to report anything suspicious regarding individuals wearing any clown attire or

costumes. As always if you have any questions or concerns please feel free to email me at

porteous.benl@police.qld.gov.au

Library News Ms Nikki Carpenter Library News

We are excited to be hosting the annual Art Show here in the Ba-ra Barimi Centre on Friday; it is such a

beautiful space, we are proud to show it off to visitors. Because all of our furniture and shelving is

movable and our chairs are stackable, we can change from a Library into an Art Gallery in about 30

minutes!

Jimmie’s Pick

This week, Jimmie picks The Boy who Dared by Susan Campbell Bartoletti as his recommended read. It

is a novel based on the true story of Helmuth Hubener, a German school boy who become a member of

the Hitler Youth during World War II. It is an interesting historically accurate book, and not too difficult to

navigate.

ATTENTION: Year 12 Parents and Students

As our Year 12 students’ studies draw to a close, it is timely to remind them that all college resources –

books, laptop, laptop bag and charger – must be returned prior to graduation.

As attendance is variable from the commencement of exam block, we would like to request that all Year

12 students return their Dell computers and both the AC adapter and carry case, to the Library on Friday,

4 November 2016. As some students may require some flexibility with the return of items due to exam

study, alternate return arrangements must be arranged prior to this date with Library staff.

We expect the computers will be returned in a serviceable condition showing due care and responsible

usage of such fragile resources. If there is physical damage to the computer, we would encourage your

child to contact the ICT Department as soon as possible, as this may be covered by accidental damage

insurance.

ST JAMES COLLEGE AWARDS NIGHT

Friday, 28 October 2016. 7.00pm to 9.00pm

St James College Hall

Parking will be available in the lower playground, entry via Gloucester

Street.

Enquiries may be directed to the Principal’s PA,

Naomi Ritchie, on 3230 8686.

ST JAMES ART EXHIBITION

FRIDAY 14 OCTOBER

4:00pm– 6:30pm

OFFICIAL OPENING & ANNOUNCEMENTS

COMMENCE AT 5:30pm

St James College

201 Boundary St, Spring Hill

Ba-ra Barimi Learning Centre

(our College Library)

DRINKS AND NIBBLES SUPPLIED

Come along and enjoy the show.

ALL ARE WELCOME!

P&F BBQ Stall

Bunnings Albion on Saturday, 29 October 7:00 am to 4:00 pm

Help is required for our

fundraising BBQ.

If you would like to come along and

help for an hour or two,

please contact Dawn Moloney on

0429 338040 or

email dmoloney72@gmail.com

to arrange to be on the roster for the

day.

Help is very much appreciated.

All funds go back to St James

College for Student Support

Services and East Timor.

It is essential that students back-up any content they wish to keep, using a USB flash drive or external

hard drive (recommended).

All Year 12 students will be given a list of their resources along with a Finalisation Form. If, for any

reason, all resources listed cannot be found, there is an expectation that you will pay for

replacements. Once library staff are satisfied that all college resources are returned or paid for, your

completed Finalisation Form will be signed.

Should you have any questions regarding this process, please contact Mrs Lee Bess, Librarian, or Ms

Nikki Carpenter, Head of Library and eLearning.

Sports News Mr Scott Prickett

Basketball News – There will be two training sessions a week in Term Four for all basketball students

who are available and wanting to improve their knowledge and skills of the game. Monday and

Wednesday afternoons will be coached by our Director of Basketball Mr Kirron Byrne. We would love to

see students there who would like to progress in the basketball program

Futsal News – Mr Prickett and Mr Anderson will be running sessions during lunch time for students who

want to be a part of St James Futsal teams for 2017. It is important if you are wanting to be a part of

this to bring your equipment in for Monday and Thursday lunch times.

Jimmies Climbing Club Jimmies climbing club members Bridget Aitchison and Jacob Forker-Freeman

judged and competed in Australia’s ultimate National Bouldering competition last weekend! The

competition was help in Brisbane over three huge days. With over $20,000 in cash and prizes,

interstate and international climbers completed fiercely Plus, to top it all off the event was

LIVESTREAMED!

Bridget and Jacob have attended training sessions and are now both accredited National judges for the

sport. With over 400 competitors it was a massive weekend full of big falls, high impact moves and loud

music!

But what is boulder? Bouldering is a sequence of up to 10 moves, in any direction, they can be

dynamics or static. Participants must start and finish on designated holds. If they fall they land on big

soft mats. However boulder problems can be up to four meters high! A scary fall for most mere mortals.

Jacob not only volunteered all weekend, he also competed, placing in the top 25 for Australia! Another

fantastic effort from Jimmies climbers, representing their school and State at National Level!

Next competition on our calendar is the Rocksports, Round 3, Climb- Olympics! On Saturday, 15

October 2016 register on line at http://rocksports.com.au/

STUDENTS WITH DISABILITY TRAVEL REBATE

Semester 2, 2016

Does your child have a verified disability that requires transport assistance to and from school?

Has your school’s learning support teacher assessed your child’s travel capability rating as ‘semi-independent’ or more dependent?

Visit our website to see if you qualify for financial assistance to

help with the cost of transport and

Apply at www.schooltransport.com.au by 31 October 2016.

Late applications cannot be accepted.

Jimmies Climbing Club

Sports Quote

THINK PREPARE PLAN for life after school

Brisbane North Background

My Future: My Life is a ground-breaking initiative which encourages and supports Queensland secondary students with a disability to pursue their vision and goals for life after school.

Who should attend

Parents, disability professionals and educators of secondary school students (years 7 to 12) with disability.

Purpose

These workshops are highly interactive with particpants engaging in group exercises in order to think creatively about possible options for a secondary school student with disability for life after school.

The workshop will help participants: ◊ think creatively about life after school ◊ identify and capture students’ unique potential and goals ◊ link to community resources ◊ identify what it would take to put the student’s plan into action ◊ gain an understanding of My Future: My Life’s 3 options of support

Where

Alf Shaw Community Centre 190 Stanley Street, Strathpine

When

9.30am to 1.00pm. Wednesday 19 October 2016

How to register Visit the Events page at www.myfuturemylife.com.au or by phone 1300 697 526

Numbers are limited & registration is essential.

Cost

This workshop is offered FREE to participants.