FROM THE PRINCIPAL
Change is good. It keeps us fresh. It challenges us to try new things and develop in different ways. As we are hopefully on the downhill side of the pandemic, we should reflect on the things that have changed in our lives, for better or worse.
Agility in business and in our specific case, education, is the new core skill of organisations hoping to remain relevant. Efficient analysis of the changing environment in terms of supply and demand has affected us all. We are more discerning in what we sign up for. More thankful when events return and allow us to live our lives.
As a school, we have needed to be agile. Morphing quickly in and out of everyday activities and excursions has become our new norm. Accommodating students who have missed school, been disadvantaged in assessments, and just struggled to adapt to new stressors in their world has been interesting to navigate.
My vision for our community is to start embracing the opportunities that are returning. To make more effort to be involved. Once we had our freedoms removed, we were desperate to get choices back in our lives. Now we have the choice, we may fall back to old ways and opt out of what we so dearly missed.
I challenge you and your children to sign up for more service opportunities, sports teams, musical activities, clubs, catchup lessons and anything else that was taken away and you wished was back.
“Seize the day’ is our new mantra. Positive steps forward, engaging with our community, helping our village raise our children again and doing away with isolation and selfishness.
Perhaps this has been a blessing that we have been forced to stop the world for a second, re-evaluate, and then forge a different path forward. It won’t all be easy, but the rewards we will get from challenging ourselves to learn something from this once-in-a-lifetime event shall make us even greater than before.
I look forward to seeing you all around campus and finding out what your new currency is likely to be as you seek to enrich your lives with people ahead of profit. Bring the village back!
Mr Adrian Pree | Principal
FROM THE CHAPLAIN
As we travel towards the end of another term and complete half of the second semester. We may start to feel worried and tired of the expectations. With the things we have taken on and the work we need to complete. Now though is the time to look forward in hope and preparation for what is to come in the final term of school.
Term 4 is the one when exams and final assessments take place. A time when students and staff start to get more anxious and stressed. The preparation, encouraging along with marking of the work will make a difference in later choices. This is more so for students in Senior School, as they think of a career and the pathway they will take.
Paul says in Galatians 6:9,
So let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up.
The last three terms have been building towards this very thing. As we continue to work hard, revising and practising where the practice is needed. This will then lead to a clearer, focused mind and stronger body. Helping to reap the rewards for the hard work that has been and is being done. This can only happen when each person prepares and puts the effort, time and thought into what they are doing.
Problems, worries and even fear can sometimes begin to appear when we realise the expectations of what has and should be done really begin to sink in. This is also the time when we start to panic and worry about what tomorrow’s work is bringing. Again, we find this in Matthew’s Gospel, Matthew 6:34
So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today.
If we do the work that is given and expected to be returned today, the rewards may seem small. This is only in the short term as those small pieces of work are what make the foundation on which future knowledge is built. Worrying about tomorrow and what is expected next, instead of focusing on the here and now, can lead to unnecessary fears and worries.
As we prepare for Term 4, look back at what you and others have achieved. Look forward to tomorrow, not with fear of the unknown, but with the joy, the future will bring. For it is your future you are working towards.
Reverend John Taylor | School Chaplain
FROM THE HEAD OF SENIOR SCHOOL
A Learning Community
Having recently attended the National Bridges Conference, which focussed on Learning Support in schools, it made me reflect on our philosophy and more importantly, our practice, at St James’.
Philosophically – every child has the right to learn, the opportunity to learn and receive high-quality instruction, which guides and supports their learning. This is what we expect when we choose to have our children educated at St James’.
Practice – the craft of the teacher is what truly engages the student and hooks them in. Teachers provide inroads into ‘the curriculum’ for students to explore, differentiating in such a way that all students can access the curriculum. They encourage curiosity and provoke students to think for themselves. Great teachers know when to be explicit, when to provide subtle hints and when to step back and let the student and their peers take control of their learning.
Environment – At St James’, we pride ourselves on classrooms with students of all abilities. We celebrate differences. Our classrooms include students with unique challenges and exceptional talents. Our students support and encourage one another, so often, we see our students assisting another student to complete a challenging task or catch up on missed work. They do this without being asked, simply recognising this as their responsibility – a sense of service and duty to one another.
Community – Mr Mornement and I have the pleasure of meeting every new family to St James’ when they enrol. We note that these families share our philosophy and support our practice when it comes to the optimal learning environment at St James’. It is so important for our young people that there is a consistency of message between school and home. This is what we mean by the St James’ community – a community of like-mindedness, a community that cares for each other’s children in the same way they do their own.
As I listened to the experiences of many children, educators and academics, I was reassured that we are on track at St James’. We are bringing our philosophy into practice; we are creating an environment where all children can thrive. Most importantly, our community has a common purpose, we are consistent, and we care for one another.
I wish you all well for the upcoming school holidays.
Mr Chris Hall | Head of Senior School
FROM THE HEAD OF JUNIOR SCHOOL
I recently had the pleasure of attending the Year 6 camp on Rottnest Island. The Camp is an ideal way to conclude the first phase of a student’s schooling journey and their Junior School Camp Program.
The end of Junior School is the culmination of an eight-year journey. 2022 is the first time we have had students go from Kindy to Year 6 at St James’, as 20 of our current Year 6s were foundation students back in 2015.
Their camp journey started with a sleepover at School in Year 2. The key focus at this time was to get the students comfortable with having a night away from home with their classmates. It is an important stepping stone towards independence and becoming confident to be away from home. The camps also develop friendships and shared memories.
Whilst spending time with the Year 6s at Rottnest, it was interesting to hear their conversations as they recalled shared memories from various camps. They have been to Boshack farm near Toodyay, the Swan Valley and Rottnest Island and pitched tents on the School grounds back in Year 3. The memories have been formed over various activities, adventures, challenging themselves and spending time together. A couple of highlights from Rottnest were the whale watching tour, cycling and learning about the island’s history. Some low lights were the ferry crossing over (not the smoothest of voyages!) and learning about the Rottnest Island medical centre due to a few bike-related accidents!
It was a pleasure to attend the Camp. It allowed me to reflect on the students and how they conduct themselves. It was wonderful to see the respectful way the students engaged with their tour guides, the way they involved themselves with the various activities, the support for each other when they needed help and the good manners to those around them.
Mr Dan Mornement | Head of Junior School
FROM THE SENIOR SCHOOL CAPTAINS
As we are coming to the end of our schooling journey at St James’, we would like to take the opportunity to reflect on our time as School Captains over the past twelve months. We have both thoroughly enjoyed the privilege of being School Captains and the rewarding opportunities we have experienced over the course of our roles.
Shortly after being elected last year, we attended a leadership conference with Archbishop Kay Goldsworthy and were recently invited back for a reunion at her residence in West Perth. These events were invaluable opportunities for us to learn and develop the qualities, acting as the foundation of influential leadership. This also allowed us to recognise the importance of carrying these attributes into our lives beyond school. In addition to this, we were fortunate enough to attend meetings with local Lendlease developers, providing a youthful influence on the development of the local suburbs surrounding our School.
We are grateful for the opportunity to have acted as your 2022 School Captains and are sad that our time at St James’ is drawing to a close. We would like to extend our congratulations to the newly elected captains for 2023 and cannot wait to see what they bring to their roles in the following twelve months. We wish them luck and have every confidence that the future of St James’ is in good hands.
Elissa Quinn-Williams and Anya Coetzee
Year 5 Interschool Speech Competition
In August Ryanbir R and Ava W participated in the Year 5 Interschool Speech Competition at Quinns Baptist College. The students competed honourably against four other schools. Their expressive and persuasive arguments were a pleasure to listen to.
Ava discussed the topic of ‘Words of Wisdom – what I have learnt,’ while Ryanbir conveyed ‘the fun and not so fun of camping.’
Congratulations to both students for performing so well and being such great ambassadors of St James’.
Mr JD Hummerston | Year 5 Teacher
Djerabin Dreaming with Kindy Vuleta
On the morning of Thursday 8 September, the Kindy Vuleta students showcased their inquiry into Aboriginal culture. Affectionately named Djerabin Dreaming (Happy Dreaming) by the children, the performance included music, singing and the telling of Australian Dreamtime stories.
Junior School Interhouse Athletics Carnival
On Thursday 15 September the Kindy to Year 6 students took on cool and windy conditions to complete our 2022 Junior School Athletics Carnival. Our Kindy to Year 2 students completed their sprints and highly enjoyable team games rotation while our Year 3 to Year 6 students completed their 100m and 200m in the morning, a rotation of 400m, Long Jump, Discus and Turbo Jav through the middle of the day before concluding with team games and the grand relay which was won by the closest of margins by Twilight.
The competitive spirit on display was matched by the student’s celebration of each other’s successes with genuine support and camaraderie on display.
Congratulations to the following students for their efforts which resulted in them receiving Champions and Runner Up for their age groups.
- Year 3 Girls Runner Up: Lily M
- Year 3 Girls Champion: Kayla T
- Year 3 BoysRunner Up: Cameron G
- Year 3 Boys Champion: Maximus D
- Year 4 Girls Runner Up: Isabelle H
- Year 4 Girls Champion: Imogen G
- Year 4 Boys Runner Up: Taj H
- Year 4 Boys Champion: Henry W
- Year 5 Girls Runner Up: Evie W
- Year 5 Girls Champion: Sienna T
- Year 5 Boys Runner Up: Alex K
- Year 5 Boys Champion: Hunter E
- Year 6 Girls Runner Up: Harmony P
- Year 6 Girls Champion: Isabella T
- Year 6 Boys Runner Up: Freddie S
- Year 6 Boys Champion: Cooper S
The final result saw Cervantes complete an outstanding day to finish victorious.
- Cervantes 12,312
- Sydney 12,265
- Eglinton 11,929
- Twilight 11,116
A massive thank you on behalf of the PE department for the outstanding participation from the students, the tireless work from the teaching staff and the support and attendance from the parents who braved the conditions on the day.
Mr James Parsons | Head of Physical Education
Junior School Interhouse Athletics Carnival Photo Gallery
Into the Woods and Out of the Woods and Happily Ever After
That’s a wrap on another School Musical! This year we invited the community to the Djinda Sports Centre to watch our production of Into the Woods Jr.
Into the Woods Jr. explores various themes that we can all relate to. A simple wish; a yearning for something greener on the other side. We are told that fantasising about a better life is naïve and squeezed out of us as children. But sometimes, it’s ok to step into those shoes again and envision what it might be like to live vicariously through the fairytales.
This was the first time the School showcased a Senior School only production. This meant a smaller cast, with a huge array of talent. While looking for students to fill the cast list of roughly 20 roles, we had over 35 students audition across the Senior School. We soon realised we’d need to be creative to give as many students as possible the opportunity to perform, deciding this year we wanted to do something a little different and include a ‘Greek Chorus’. Every dynamic actor/actress on the stage worked hard to deliver a great show after many hours of rehearsals.
Prior to the Senior School performance, the Junior School enthralled audiences with their production of Cinderella led by Miss Alcock and Mr Hummerston. This pre-show told the story of Cinderella’s journey from maid to princess. A huge cast of talented actors worked tirelessly to bring this story to life, charming the audience with their big personalities.
A huge thank you must go to the School Community, from parents to school staff for their support of our students in the production. With their incredible help, we managed to turn the humble St James’ school gym stage into a dynamic theatre experience. We would also be nowhere without a warm audience and we thank you for supporting the arts.
Keep your eyes peeled for a future production!
Mr David Johnson | Director
Outstanding Results in the Australian Mathematics Competition
Earlier in Term 3, 100 St James’ students participated in the Australian Mathematics Competition (AMC).
The AMC is an engaging 30-problem competition that demonstrates the importance and relevance of mathematics in students’ everyday lives. It is designed to engage, enrich and extend students. While the problems are complex, when they are solved they can leave students feeling deeply satisfied. It offers students the chance to demonstrate their outside-of-the-box thinking.
It is with great pleasure that we acknowledge the following students who received Distinctions.
- Deborah L
- Angus E
- Easwaran R
- Jasmine T
- Tyson B
- Jake G
Special mention to Ryder K who received the highest result at St James’.
Congratulations to all the St James’ students who participated in the 2022 AMC.
Mrs Jennifer George | Head of Mathematics
St James' Takes Out 2022 ACC H Division Athletics Carnival
On Friday 2 September, 120 students from Years 7 to 12 represented the Orange Army at the ACC H Division Carnival.
After finishing second in 2021 by a very small margin, our students, particularly our seniors, were desperate to leave behind a legacy. The season from start to finish was full of fire, passion and excitement. The commitment from students in the training phase was excellent. Special mention to Benjamin J, Jeremy S and Esme S who attended every training session. Thanks to our senior students, Liberty B and Matthew V, who coached the Team.
Carnival Day saw a punctual, organised and supportive team arrive. We were the first school at the venue and the first school on the track for warm-up. This is a process we continue to pride ourselves on. Spirits were high, and we were off to a good start.
Highlights from the day:
- Sascha H stepped up at the last minute to race the 400m event two years above her age group and finished in second place.
- Emilio V our on-ground competitor and photographer, captured some excellent footage of the day.
- Anya C for being an expert dummy marshal ensuring that no St James’ student missed an event.
We are incredibly proud of all our athletes and their performances on the day. There were some dominating performances throughout the Carnival with many personal bests achieved, hesitations and nerves overcome and many marking their place with wins.
Event Winners
- Keaghan R U15 Shot Put Div II and U15 100m Div II
- Elissa Q U19 High Jump Div II
- George H U15 Long Jump Div I, U15 1500m Div I, U15 High Jump Div II, U15 400m Div II and U15 800m Div I
- Jeremey S U13 1500 Div II and U13 800m Div II
- Saul M U13 1500 Div I
- Ava B U13 1500 Div II and U14 800m Div II
- Kayla C U13 1500 Div I and U14 800m Div I
- Harry S U14 1500 Div II and U14 800 Div II
- Barnaby L U14 1500 Div I and U14 Javelin Div I, U14 800m Div I and U14 Shot Put Div II
- Claire B U13 Javelin Div I
- Arieli G U15 1500m Div I and U15 800m Div I
- Cameron B U15 1500m Div II
- Liberty B U19 Hurdles, U19 200m Div II, U19 Long Jump Div I and U19 100m Div II
- Luigi L U19 1500m Div II
- Emily F U14 Shot Put Div II
- Mitchell B U19 High Jump Div II
- Emily F U15 Shot Put Div II
- Sol W U14 200m Div I
- Hayley B U19 200m Div I and U19 100m Div I
- Makenna M U13 800m Div I and U13 High Jump Div I
- Lachlan B U14 Long Jump Div II
- Esme S U13 100m Div I
- Liam S U14 100m Div I and U14 Shot Put Div I
- Kalani P U15 800m Div II and U15 High Jump Div I
- Kieron M U15 800m Div II
- Madison E U13 Long Jump Div II
- Tydhon H U14 400m Div II
- Gareth M U19 400m Div II
- U13 4 x 100m Girls Relay
- U14 Girls and Boys
- U15 Boys
- U19 Girls and Boys
Individual Runner Up Age-Group Champions
- U15 Girls Ciann A
- U15 Boys George H
- U14 Boys Barnaby L
As a team, St James’ successfully claimed all champion shields.
- Junior Boys and Girls Champions
- Senior Boys and Girls Champions
- Overall Boys and Girls Champions
- Overall Champion School
None of this would have been possible without the passion and knowledge of our head coach, Mr James Parsons, who was strongly supported by his coaching team of Miss Pivetta, Mr Penno, Mr Kennedy, Mr Titlestad, Mrs Lavell and 2021 Graduate Vin Coetzee.
Thank you to the staff on the day Mr Parsons, Mrs Pearce, Mr Penno and Miss Killow for your work with the Team. Thank you, Mr Dylan Usher, for your assistance with the data entry and our student officials who assisted on the day working alongside the ACC Representatives.
Bring on 2023 and the G Division Carnival!
Miss Mackenzie Huggins | Sports Coordinator
LIVINWell at St James’
On Friday 9 September during House Time the Year 8-11 students listened to a talk from the LIVINWell in schools program. Following on from RU OK? Day the presentation was designed to break the stigma surrounding mental health and promote positive mental health at St James’. LIVINWell’s mantra is “It ain’t weak to speak” and students learned about the difference between mental health and mental illness as well as
- Conversational strategies to drive stigma reduction, how to identify warning signs and symptoms of mental health challenges.
- The knowledge to identify warning signs and symptoms of mental health challenges.
- Practical strategies to help those around them who might be struggling.
- Effective strategies to help themselves including coping, resilience and stress management.
- Information on when and where to get professional help.
Opening up the conversation about mental health is just the start.
Mr Alan McLatchie | Head of HASS
Game, Set, Match for the Volleyball Specialist Students
Across three days in August, a record 97 Volleyball Specialist Program Athletes took on the annual Volleyball WA School’s Cup. Twelve teams across five different venues competed against some of the state’s best volleyball players and schools leading to an actioned packed day on the court! Our students showed outstanding sportsmanship, teamwork and determination and represented the School exceptionally.
Congratulations to our Year 7 Boys team who claimed silver in the B Division!
Competition Results:
- Year 7 Girls – B Division: 5th Place
- Year 8 Girls – B Division: 10th Place
- Year 8 Girls – A Division: 3rd Place
- Year 9 Girls – B Division: 5th Place
- Year 10 Girls – B Division: 3rd Place
- Year 10 Girls – A Division: 8th Place
- Year 8 Boys – B Division: 3rd Place
- Year 8 Boys – A Division: 6th Place
- Year 10 Boys – B Division: 5th Place
- Year 10 Boys – A Division: 8th Place
- Year 11 Boys – B Division: 3rd Place
A special thanks to the parents of our Volleyball students who braved early morning drop-offs and late afternoon pickups to support our students attending training and the tournament!
Mr Ryan Penno | Volleyball Specialist Coach
Historical Find for St James’ Student
Introducing St James’ very own archaeologist, Liam B.
A few weeks ago, Liam stumbled across a segment of the Alex T Brown shipwreck located north of Yanchep.
The main wreckage lies on the beach above the high-water mark, becoming periodically exposed following winter storms and swells. The piece discovered by Liam was over 3m long and some distance from the main wreckage.
Liam was invited by the City of Wanneroo Heritage Team along with the WA Shipwreck Museum to be part of the excavation of the shipwreck segment discovered by Liam.
This segment will now feature Liam’s name at the WA Shipwreck Museum. A historic find for both Liam and the WA Shipwreck Museum. Without Liam’s assistance, the recovery project would not have been possible.
For more information about shipwrecks in and around Alkimos click here.
