Principal's Post

Dear Parents of St Columba’s,

As we conclude our final week of the school year, we thank our Pre Primary Students and Staff for what was an enchanting nativity performance. Their bright smiles, efforts, and innocent enthusiasm warmed our hearts and transported us to the heartwarming scenes of that special night so many years ago, when Christ entered the world to be amongst His people.

The students poured their little hearts into this performance, and their hard work to learn the story has not gone unnoticed, especially on the back of the Edu Dance Concert only a few nights ago. Truly remarkable! Pre Primary, all teachers and parents are incredibly proud of you, and rightly so! You are all Stars!

As I reflect on my first year as Principal at St Columba’s School, I am filled with gratitude for the warm welcome and support I have received. Transitioning into a new role is always accompanied by challenges, but your support has been a constant source of strength. From the engaging conversations during parent-teacher meetings to the collaborative efforts on various school initiatives, your dedication to the success of our students and the school has been inspiring.

Your involvement in the educational journey of your children is invaluable. Whether it was volunteering at events, participating in parent-teacher meetings, or contributing your insights, your active participation has significantly enriched the educational, pastoral and spiritual development of all our students.

To all our staff, I express my deepest gratitude to every one of you for your dedication, hard work, and commitment to excellence. From the classroom to the office, playgrounds to the OSHC, every role in our school plays a crucial part in the success of our school mission to foster the total development of each individual within a loving community that is totally committed to supporting the Catholic faith, principles and ideals within the framework of the Mercy Values.

Thank you for your hard work, your passion, and your unwavering commitment to our school. Your efforts make a profound difference in the lives of our students, and I am grateful to lead such an exceptional team.

Wishing you a well-deserved and restful break as we recharge for the opportunities and challenges of the new year.

As we embark on a new year filled with exciting opportunities, I look forward to continuing this collaborative journey with each of you. Your continued support is not only appreciated but essential for the continued success of our school community.

I extend my warmest wishes to each one of you. May this upcoming Christmas season be filled with joy, warmth, and moments of togetherness. We look forward to seeing you all for the commencement of 2024.

Please continue reading on for farewells and further important information regarding the new year.

In gratitude,

Gina Burns

Farewells

Two of our longest-serving staff members were unable to attend the Edu Dance Concert last week and I would like to acknowledge their service to our school again below, Penny Pettit and Kerry Smith.

Penny has been an integral part of our school community. Over the 10 years Penny has been at St Columba’s, Penny has imparted her knowledge and enthusiasm across a variety of year levels, from the playful beginnings in PP to the formative years of Year 6. Her classrooms have been vibrant spaces where students are inspired to embrace knowledge with open hearts and minds.

As Penny embarks on a new chapter in her journey, we celebrate her decision to follow her passion even further. She will be dedicating her time to supporting students with additional needs and those who work tirelessly to nurture and guide them. This speaks volumes about Penny’s compassionate and caring nature, as she continues to make a profound impact on the lives of those who need it most.

Farewell, Penny, and thank you for everything. May your journey ahead be as enriching and fulfilling as the countless lives you have touched here.

We bid farewell to a true maestro in our midst. Kerry Smith has been nothing short of outstanding in her role as a music teacher, and we consider ourselves incredibly fortunate to have had her grace our school with her talent, dedication, and passion for music education.

Over 11 years, Kerry has transformed our Music Room into a haven of creativity, resounding with the harmonious melodies of growth and artistic expression. The instruments she introduced and the performances she orchestrated have been nothing short of awe-inspiring, showcasing the boundless potential that lies within every one of our students.

Kerry’s commitment to excellence extends beyond the realms of the classroom. Her involvement in the preparation for liturgical and sacramental celebrations has been remarkable. The choirs she led have become a source of inspiration, elevating these sacred moments, most memorably at the 2023 Sacrament of Confirmation at St Mary’s Cathedral.

Kerry, may your retirement journey be as harmonious and fulfilling as the symphonies you’ve orchestrated for us. Farewell, and thank you for sharing your extraordinary talents with us.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all other staff who are leaving us at the end of this year for their hard work, commitment, and the positive impact they have had on our students, colleagues, and the broader community.

Chelsea De Luca, Kristen Trott, Meagan McKie, Harrison Turner, Tammy Forrest, Marisa Perica, Helen Pez, Natalie Smith​ and Larissa Filocamo.

Congratulations to our Year 6 Students. As you embark on the next chapter of your educational journey, may your future be filled with countless opportunities and rewarding experiences. Stay positive, continue to dream big, and know that you carry with you the values instilled during your time at St Columba’s School.

For those families leaving us, we thank you for your support. Your presence has enriched our school in countless ways, contributing to a vibrant and supportive community. We hope the friendships you have made here will be forever with you.

Staffing 2024

Please see below the final list for Staffing in 2024.

Congratulations to Leesa Vinciullo, appointed into the role of Assistant Principal Religious Education from 2024. Leesa has been acting in a temporary capacity covering a wide portfolio, including Religious Education and we welcome her into the position officially from 2024

School Calendar

Dates for 2024 will be available on our School Calendar which can be accessed via the Website this week.

Some important dates to get you started:

Tuesday 30 January 2024 – Shaking off the nerves 9.00am – 10.00am

Wednesday 31 January 2024 – Term One commences for students.

School Office Hours

The School Office will reopen for enquiries on Wednesday 24 January 2024.

School Office Hours are 8.00 – 4.00 pm.

Please note on Monday 29 January 2024, the School Office will open at 9.30 am due to a Staff Meeting

Shaking Off The Nerves Day

Students and families are welcome for a quick visit into the school on Tuesday 30 January to meet their new Classroom Teacher and preview the classroom.

Uniform Shop

The Uniform Shop will be open on Tuesday 30 January from 8.00 am to 9.00 am for online order pick-ups and  from 9.00am to 10.00am for purchases.

Requests for Therapy during School Time

If you would like your child to receive therapy during school hours, either onsite or offsite, a request must be made in writing to the Principal to consider this.

Please note that appropriate space for therapy within the school is extremely limited and not all requests are able to be met. For most circumstances, scheduling therapy outside of school hours, allows your child to receive the full curriculum and to be included in all aspects of school life. For this reason, only requests that are closely linked and support the educational goals of a student’s Individual Education Program will be considered.

Parents must make contact with the school for the appropriate application to be submitted in writing to the Principal – gina.burns@cewa.edu.au. I apologise that therapists are unable to make requests on behalf of parents.

Request to School for Third Party Clinical Access

External Services Providers in Schools – Parent Information Sheet

Bell Times for 2024

There will be changes to our bell times across the school for 2024. These slight changes have been made to accommodate separate play times for our junior and senior students, thus enabling them to have greater access and choice to the wonderful play areas we have.

The start and finish times for Junior and Senior Primary will also be further staggered and this is to further relieve pressure at pick up and drop off times.

These times will be conveyed once confirmed to parents in a SEQTA email during the final Administration Week of the year.

Canteen

I would like to thank Chisholm College, in particular Manager Grace Monterosso and her staff, who have provided catering for both students and staff. The variety and quality of food have always exceeded our expectations.

Regrettably due to increased requirements for administering student medication, supervision for early childhood and new food safety standards introduced across Australia, St Columba’s will need to engage with a new canteen provider for 2024. We are unable to continue the current arrangement of Administration Staff, collecting and delivering the lunches to our school.

Families will still be able to access an online Canteen service on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. The new procedure to order online will be provided to parents prior to the commencement of 2024.

Quickcliq accounts can be closed and any surplus funds can be refunded to a nominated account.

P & F News

Love to contribute to our schools fundraising efforts?

Consider the St Columba’s P&F at your next Containers for Change deposit.

Simply scan the QR code below, download the app and add the member number to your profile.

The P&F fund would be so grateful for your contribution to further aid in the students resources and equipment.

Library News

A HUGE Thank You to the following parents and grandparents that have helped during 2023 covering new library books for our kids: 

Anita Bova 

Serene Khoo 

Aleisha Lumsden 

Thi Ma 

Jessica Pearson 

Louise Bass 

Kerry Katich 

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.

We are very keen to see all library books returned before the end of the year.  

So…

Take a look in your school bag

Take a look under your bed

Take a look in the back of the car

Search high ⬆️  and low ⬇️ for any books to be returned (even if you’ve had them a long time!)

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

Pastoral Care

Religious Education and Curriculum News

From our Year 2 Classes:

In class, we have been learning that in Advent, the Jesse Tree reminds people of Biblical characters and events that prepares God’s people for the birth of Jesus. Jesse Trees are a very old Christmas tradition and first started in medieval times. They are used to help tell the story of the Bible from creation to the Christmas story. We created our own symbols to represent some of the characters.

Community Notices

Dear Parents & Guardians,

We have been advised by Kapture Photography that all Portraits, Class and Special Groups taken this year are still available for purchase.

Please visit www.kapture.com.au using our school code 98KBCR

Classifieds