Principal's Post

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

I hope this newsletter finds you all well.

What a start it has been to 2022!

Although it has been extremely busy with COVID changes and daily updates and trying to keep our community up to date, I think that we must always stop and think of how good we still have it here in WA and how lucky we are. Some of our younger parents won’t know, there is a line in the ‘Life of Brian’, that states, “always look on the bright side of life”. I know that I always think of this when faced with a bit of adversity.

Are our COVID issues stressful at times? Maybe, but only as stressful as we make them. As I had previously mentioned in my earlier correspondence. It is what it is, but it’s how we handle our own individual situations. If we keep calm, follow various procedures given to us, keep away from crowded areas and wear our masks, for the time being, when in heavily populated areas, we will be okay. Remember that if we act in a stressful way our children will pick that up and they will be anxious.

I can honestly say, going around the classrooms and observing the students, that they have been so, so good in wearing their masks. No complaints and no questions. I believe that keeping it low key and by going around the classes Yr. 3 – 6 on Tuesday and discussing the whole mask wearing issue, has made it a smooth transition for the students. I am so proud of them!

More importantly, and something to always keep in mind is that the students have been working so well in the classrooms throughout this. I have been impressed with some of the work that I have seen. With all that is going on at times we tend to forget what we are here for. I thank our wonderful staff for having the student’s best interest at hand and working so hard for them. Be it in class learning or remote learning the staff are always ready and well prepared.

While COVID has been at the forefront of our daily life, I look back to what I previously mentioned on how lucky we are to be here in WA, especially when we look at what is happening in Ukraine.

We can see that day by day things are slowly escalating and that the peace of the world is at stake.

At times, distance takes away that real sense of what is happening in a certain place in the world. Ukraine, although so far away from us, is experiencing the real thing. We can see on our TV’s the destruction that this war is causing.

I ask all our school community to please keep Ukraine and the people of Ukraine in your prayers on a daily basis. Pray for ceasefire and a return to reason and negotiation and ultimately peace. Please also keep in your prayers, all those who have been killed, wounded or forced to flee for a senseless reason.

THE CODE OF CONDUCT STATEMENTS… cont.

In Week 3 we commenced looking at the Code of Conduct.

A reminder that there are 12 statements in our Code of Conduct that describe minimum standards of conduct in all behaviour and decision making to ensure the safety and well-being of our students. We will continue to look at all 12 statements over the next few newsletters. This newsletter we look at statements 4 – 6.

Conduct Statement 4 – You conduct yourself in accordance with laws, agreements, policies and standards relevant to your relationship with the school community.

Guidelines

1) Your relationship with other members of the school community is defined by whatever written or verbal agreement has given rise to that relationship. If you are a member of staff, it is your employment agreement. If you are a parent or acting in a parental capacity, it is the student’s enrolment agreement. If you are a member of the school board, it is your school board constitution. If you are a visitor, it is in accordance with the permission of the Principal to be on school grounds on condition that you act safely and competently.

2) If you witness the unlawful or unsafe conduct of any other member of the school community, or breaches of policy or this Code, whether in teaching, administration, school support services, or while engaging with students in person or via digital or other media, you have both a responsibility and an obligation to notify such conduct to the Principal or an appropriate authority and take other action as necessary to protect students.

3) Where you notify the Principal or a delegate of unsafe conduct, including breaches of this Code, and that notification fails to produce an appropriate response in the circumstances, you may take the matter to an appropriate external authority.

4) You respect both the person and property of students and their families, and of other members of the school community, and the property and finances of the school.

5) You use school property and resources responsibly and for the purposes of the school.

Conduct Statement 5 – You respect the dignity, culture, values and beliefs of each member of the school community.

Guidelines

1) You respect both the person and capacity of each member of the school community, treat them with dignity, show respect for their culture, values, and beliefs.

2) You interact with members of your school community in an honest and respectful manner.

3) You perform your duties and conduct your relations with students and members of the school community with fairness and justice. This includes taking appropriate action to ensure the safety and quality of the education and care of students are not compromised because of harmful or prejudicial attitudes about culture, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, age, religion, disability, spirituality, political, social or health status.

4) In planning and providing education and school support services, you uphold the standards of culturally safe and competent care. This includes according due respect and consideration to the cultural knowledge, values, beliefs, personal wishes and decisions of each member of the school community. You acknowledge the changing nature of families and recognise that families can be constituted in a variety of ways.

5) You do not express racist, sexist, homophobic, ageist and other prejudicial and discriminatory attitudes and behaviours toward any member of the school community. You take appropriate action when observing any such prejudicial and discriminatory attitudes and behaviours.

6) In making professional judgements in relation to the interests and rights of a member of the school community, you do not contravene the law or breach the human rights of any person.

Conduct Statement 6 –You treat personal information about members of the school community as private and confidential.

Guidelines

1) You use personal information in accordance with your school Privacy Policy.

2) You have ethical and legal obligations to treat personal information as confidential. You protect the privacy of each member of the school community by treating the information gained in the relationship as confidential, restricting its use and disclosure to the purposes defined in your school Privacy Policy.

3) If a third party asks for access to personal information, you must take reasonable steps to confirm the identity of the third party, and that it is lawful to disclose the information to them. You must inform the member of the school community that you have disclosed their personal information unless you are satisfied that there are legal reasons for not doing so.

4) You seek advice if you identify a conflict between protecting personal information and any resulting risk to the safety and well-being of a student.

5) You create and keep accurate records of conversations about significant decisions involving the safety and well-being of students.

LENT

On Wednesday we commenced the season of Lent, with Ash Wednesday. Each class, yesterday held their own class liturgies to celebrate this special day.

Lent is a special period of reflection, fasting, and prayer and preparing for Easter Sunday. The season of Lent lasts 40 days to represent the amount of time Jesus spent in the desert. As the season of Lent finishes in approximately 6 weeks, we enter into Holy Week beginning with Palm Sunday. Mrs Vinciullo, Mr Kehoe and I visited all classes and distributed the ashes for our students. At the same time we had a brief chat with the students explaining the ashes and the story of lent. I was so impressed at some of the great knowledge displayed by some of the students.

Thank you for your ongoing support to St Columba’s School.

Have a great long weekend and keep safe.

Sandro Coniglio

Principal

CHISHOLM COLLEGE CANTEEN

Please note that lunch orders need to be placed before 8.30am on Wednesday, Thursday & Friday. No late orders will be accepted.

TUITION FEES 2022

The 2022 tuition fees were emailed last week along with your Payment Option form.

Please ensure your form is completed and returned by Friday 4 March 2022.

If full payment has already been made please disregard the above.

Should you have any questions please contact our Finance Manager, Peta Santella on 9208 2705 or email finance@stcolsbays.wa.edu.au.

We appreciate your co-operation in this matter.

STUDENT DATA COLLECTION

Attached to this newsletter are letters from Catholic Education of WA  and Australian Government regarding student data collections.

If your residential address or any other personal information has changed since 2021 or your data is not correct please complete the attached “Data Collection Form” or contact Lisa Slocum on 9208 2701 to update your details.

Please ensure the forms are returned by Wednesday 2 March 2022.

PUPIL FREE DAY

A reminder that this Friday 4 March is a Pupil Free Day. Enjoy your long weekend.

UNIFORM SHOP

Due to the recent positive COVID case at St Columba’s, jfe has temporarily suspended counter sales from their Osborne Park office.

All uniform purchases will be through on line orders only.  All online orders will be delivered to the school weekly.

If parents need to change sizes etc they can email JFE direct or pop into their showroom in Osborne Park. Returns/exchanges can be left at the school office.

School Counsellor News

Dear Parents/Caregivers,

A number of St Columbas’ families have requested information on how best to quarantine and isolate, where to obtain information regarding confirmed cases in Western Australia, information on COVID testing and also where the COVID clinics are located.  Please see below four links that will provide this information.  The staff at St Columba’s understand this is a very difficult time and our current COVID situation is causing stress and worry due to uncertainty, please be reassured that we are here to help and support our school community in the best way possible.  The Department of Health Website has wonderful resources and information so please check it out.

https://www.healthywa.wa.gov.au/Articles/A_E/Coronavirus/Quarantine-and-isolation

https://www.healthywa.wa.gov.au/Articles/A_E/Coronavirus/Locations-visited-by-confirmed-cases

https://www.healthywa.wa.gov.au/Articles/A_E/Coronavirus/COVID19-testing

https://www.healthywa.wa.gov.au/Articles/A_E/Coronavirus/COVID-clinics

Nicole Leach
School Counsellor
St Columba’s (Wednesdays and Thursdays) Phone 08 9208 2700

P & F News

Together we’re making a difference

At Pharmacy 777, your support makes a difference to your school.
We understand how much your school means to you, that’s why at Pharmacy 777, we’re passionate about making a difference. Our Community Spirit Program makes giving back to your school easier. As a Community Spirit member, for every transaction you make at Pharmacy 777 Bayswater and Maylands, they will give part proceeds back to the school. This contribution accumulates over time and funds raised support causes at the heart of your school. We would encourage all school community members to visit Pharmacy 777 Bayswater and Maylands and join up.

Library News

Library 2022

Dear Parents, Carers and Students,

The library is open to STUDENTS in Years 1 – 6 ONLY, every morning before school from 8:15am – 8:45 am.

SORRY NO PARENTS ALLOWED.

The library is a calming and quiet place, making it the perfect spot for students to have a smooth and calming transition in the morning.

Students may like to return and borrow books before school.

Looking forward to seeing you the library.

Reading and activities in the LIBRARY

Junior and Senior LUNCHTIMES

Students may also use this time to exchange their library book.

Homework/Library Bag    

Just a reminder that students require the school green

‘Homework and Library Bag’ in order to borrow from the Library.

Many students will already have the green school

‘’Homework and Library Bag’ from previous years.

‘Homework and Library Bags’ can be purchased

from the Uniform Shop at a cost of $10.

The library has lots of books needing covering.  If you can help by taking a small number of books home to cover, please advise the library. Your help is greatly appreciated by staff and students. 

Rita Cuthbert – Library Officer – Library - the original search engine

Pastoral Care

Religious Education and Curriculum News

From our Year Pre-Primary’s

In Pre-Primary we have been preparing for Easter through Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday activities. We discussed how Shrove Tuesday is the day before lent starts where people all around the world make pancakes before giving up their favourite things during Lent time. We also learnt that Ash Wednesday is the start of our preparation for Easter, a time where we do our best to be like Jesus. The symbol for Jesus’ love is the cross which we created using different materials.

From our Year 4’s

In Year Four, in our reading rotations this week, we have been focusing on the comprehension strategy of predicting. We have been reading a range of fictional texts where we have been looking for evidence or clues that tell us what might happen in the story.

Community Notices

Open Day Online

Located in the heart of Perth’s beautiful heritage precinct, Mercedes College would like to invite your family to our upcoming Open Day Online on Tuesday 15 March. Given the current Covid-19 climate, we have had to cancel our traditional Open Day tour and bring families a new online tour experience. Families will be able to book into a session of their choice; 8.30am or 11.00am.

The Open Day Online program will still include a welcome by the Principal, Mrs Kerrie Fraser, a live Q&A session led by key staff and students, and a self-led virtual tour. You will experience first hand why learning in the city will benefit Danica’s education. Registrations are limited, so please don’t leave it too late to book: https://www.mercedes.wa.edu.au/open-morning/

Mercedes College is currently interviewing Year Four students who are due to start Year Seven in 2025.

If you are considering enrolling your daughter, please visit the Mercedes College website at www.mercedes.wa.edu.au to request a prospectus, book a tour or enrol on-line. For further information, please contact our Enrolment Officer, Mrs Nicole Kirk on 9323 1340.

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Classifieds