Dear St Columba’s School Community,
“Once upon a time, a man found a butterfly that was starting to hatch from its cocoon. He sat down and watched the butterfly for hours as it struggled to force itself through a tiny hole. Then, it suddenly stopped making progress and looked like it was stuck. Therefore, the man decided to help the butterfly out. He took a pair of scissors and cut off the remaining bit of the cocoon. The butterfly then emerged easily, although it had a swollen body and small, shrivelled wings. The man thought nothing of it, and he sat there waiting for the wings to enlarge to support the butterfly. However, that never happened. The butterfly spent the rest of its life unable to fly, crawling around with small wings and a swollen body. Despite the man’s kind heart, he didn’t understand that the restricting cocoon and the struggle needed by the butterfly to get itself through the small hole were God’s way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings to prepare itself for flying once it was free.”
In last Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus was transfigured before Peter, James, and John. Transfiguration is the changing of form or appearance. Jesus’ face began to shine, and his clothes became white as light. It was at that point they realised that through the suffering of Jesus’ life and death, the Son of Man had been raised from the dead.
Whenever situations in life look gloomy and sombre, the transfiguration and the Butterfly Story remind us of and our students, our struggles in life help to develop our strengths. Without struggles, we never grow and get stronger, so it’s important for us to be allowed to experience challenges, and not rely on help from others all the time.
Sacrament of Confirmation
We ask you to keep in your prayers our students and families in Year 6 who are preparing to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation. The Sacraments of Baptism, Holy Communion and Confirmation complete one’s initiation into the Catholic Faith and strengthen their relationship with God.
Students completing the Sacrament of Confirmation are asked to attend the Confirmation Community Enrolment Mass at St Columba’s Parish this Saturday evening at 6.00 pm.
Staffing News
Mrs Annette Harvey, Part Time Teacher to Pre-Primary Green, has needed to resign from her position to care for her mother in her time of illness.
On behalf of the School Community, thank you Annette for your contribution to Pre-Primary Green, the school, and staff. Your nurturing nature and passion for early years education have always shone through, with the happiness and engagement of the students in your care.
Our thoughts and prayers will continue to be with Annette, her mother and whole family during this difficult time.
We thank existing staff members, Mrs Andrea Middleton (Kindy Green Teacher) and Mrs Marinella Fasolo (PP Green Teacher) for extending their hours to support Pre-Primary Green for the remainder of the year.
Celebrating our Gifts
Our School Mission at St Columba’s aims 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. It’s wonderful to see all children grasping the opportunities provided to shine in many areas of talent. Over the last weeks, we have seen this in areas such as Mathematics, Spelling, Physical Education and Music.
Our Choir and Music Teachers, Mrs Kerry Smith and Mrs Marisa Perica, are busy rehearsing for our annual performance in the Catholic Performing Arts Festival. I popped into their lunchtime rehearsal last Friday and they are sounding amazing. They will perform on Thursday 24 August. Best wishes to our choir and some of our students who have elected to perform individually.
Congratulations to students who took part in the WA State Championships for Irish Dancing on the weekend. You’ll see some amazing results further down in our Community News section. Congratulations to all students and their families. Very proud moments for you all.
In gratitude,
Gina Burns
Principal
P & F News
Volunteering once a year, opens a door of opportunities for our kids. Giving back, means the world to them. Assist our St Columba’s P&F with your role of choice for events, fundraisers or even part of the Class Representative team.
Our “Just one Thing” volunteer sign up is now live. Please consider volunteering especially if you haven’t done so before. It’s a great way to meet new parents and make new friends. Thanks to all those that have already registered for their “One Thing”. Please use the link below to access the sign up form:
Entertainment Memberships
Online memberships are available again this year. Memberships can be purchased online.
https://www.entertainment.com.au/orderbooks/83589g
Our next P&F meeting is Tuesday 12 September at 7.00pm in the library.
Items for the agenda must be submitted by 5pm Friday 8 September.
Any items after this time will be tabled for the next meeting.
Any questions or queries, I can be contacted via email gtarmstrong@iinet.net.au
Tanya Armstrong
President P&F
Library News
Book Week 2023
Term 3 – Week 6
19th – 25th August
READ GROW Inspire
This year we will be celebrating Book Week at St. Cols in a number of exciting ways;
Including a live performance, Dress Up Parade, activities and competitions in the Library.
‘Perform ! Education’
Performance (Pre-Primary – Year 6)
Tuesday 22nd August
Dress Up Parade (Pre-Primary – Year 6)
Tuesday 22nd August
All students Pre-Primary to Year 6 are invited to come to school dressed as their favourite book character.
The purpose of this event is to celebrate Book Week,
therefore, the focus is on participation rather than the costume…
Why not recycle a costume, or put together something from home!
Please keep it simple and stress free
Please note: Costumes are not restricted to this year’s theme of:
‘READ GROW Inspire’
Looking forward to Book Week!
Rita Cuthbert – Library Officer – Library - the original search engine
Pastoral Care
Happy Birthday to:
To the following students who will be celebrating this coming week:
Florence Stazzonelli KW
Frankie Wilson PPG
Bodhi Chipperfield PPW
Isla Elliott PPW
Luke Poletti PPW
Harriet Stazzonelli 1G
Rosie Veale 2G
Tessa Cavalli 2W
Patrick McGlue 2W
Emme Moretta 5G
Hannah Gai 5W
Justin Ahn 6W
The Pastoral Care Team will be holding the annual Father’s Day Breakfast
this year in Term 3 on Friday 1 September (Please see flyer attached to this Newsletter).
Tickets can be booked both electronically by visiting Trybooking at:
https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1076080
or by returning the slip from the flyer along with your cash in an envelope to the
school office by FRIDAY 25 AUGUST, 2023.
More information will be provided in the coming weeks for volunteer opportunities
and the all so very loved Father’s Day Raffle!!
As always thank you for your support of the Pastoral Care Team!
WEEKLY RAFFLE ROSTER
TERM 3
Week 5 – 16 August
Week 6 – 23 August
| Kindy Green | Week 5 – Lyla Bradley Week 6 – George Sewell |
| Kindy White | Week 5 – Samuel Smith Week 6 – Ezra Smart |
| PP Green | Week 5 – Edith Parks Week 6 – Sebastian Setzinger |
| PP White | Week 5 – Luke Poletti Week 6 – Francis Masek |
| Year 1 Green | Week 5 – Aiden Snodgrass Week 6 – Mason Sardelich |
| Year 1 White | Week 5 – Erin Kennewell Week 6 – Thea O’Reilly |
| Year 2 Green | Week 5 – Mackenzie Strachan Week 6 – Thea Setzinger |
| Year 2 White | Week 5 – Madelyn Markowski Week 6 – Jacob Mak |
| Year 3 Green | Week 5 – William Parks Week 6 – Vaughan O’Reilly |
| Year 3 White | Week 5 – Corey Nguyen Week 6 – Lucia O’Toole |
| Year 4 Green | Week 5 – Sebastian Strachan Week 6 – Mariana Pulido Vargas |
| Year 4 White | Week 5 – Estelle Pirone Week 6 – Peyton Shute |
| Year 5 Green | Week 5 – Moihi Moses-Taratu Week 6 – Keira Pollitt |
| Year 5 White | Week 5 – Isla Markowski Week 6 – Tony Masek |
| Year 6 Green | Week 5 – Blake Poletti Week 6 – Xavier Robinson |
| Year 6 White | Week 5 – Clyde Peters Week 6 – Kaleb Smart |
Award Winners
MERIT AWARDS – Term 3, Week 3
PP Green – Darcy Blake, Paige Booth, Ruby Palmer, Samuel Young
PP White – Hugo Allison, Odin Dupont, Jude Hoogland, Ada Marie
1 Green – Smith Robertson, Ross Smith, Matilda Stahl
1 White – Annabelle Cornish, Hudson Fernandez, Luciana Pulido Vargas
2 Green – Charlotte de Courcier, Maria Mustica, Arthur Oliveira
2 White – Marcus Chong, Xander De Souza, Olivia Molony
3 Green – Leo Cameron, Max Nguyen, Cherubim Vu
3 White – Mia Fernandez, Oscar Hamilton, Sera McDougall, Wyatt Palmer
4 Green – Sandra Mandujano Liu, Mia Moore, Alex Pizzata
4 White – Christian Cullura, Mason Harper
5 Green – Braelyn Carruthers, Grace Hartus, Francis Le
5 White – William Armstrong, Carys Bennetts, Abraham Lawes, Chloe Smith
6 Green – Grace Hamilton, William North, Blake Poletti, Elizabeth Wright
6 White – Lucy Gardiner, Tayla Green, Fergal Mippy
Religious Education and Curriculum News
As advertised, Father Andrew and I are organising a second community Baptism event to be held this term. While we have had a number of families express interest in joining us, it is not too late to be included!
Dates have now been confirmed :
Thursday 17 August, 2023 : Baptism Information Evening for parents and those to be Baptised.
Sunday 27 August, 2023 : Baptism Ceremony (10.45am after the 9.30 Mass)
Please contact me to express interest or to ask any questions you may have. You may also feel free to share this information with friends and family.
Looking forward to sharing this celebration with members of our St Columba’s community.
With thanks and best wishes
Leesa Vinciullo
Religious Education and Events Coordinator
Leesa.Vinciullo@cewa.edu.au
From our Pre-Kindergarten Classes:
In Pre-Kindy we read the Dreamtime story “Tiddalik the Frog” Tiddalik was so thirsty that he drank up all the rivers and billabongs in the land. And the other animals had to find a way to get the water back. We loved listening to this story and then made our own Tiddalik using a fly swat and paint. 🐸
EYLF Outcome 5: Children are effective communicators. Enjoy engaging with and sharing a wide variety of cultural texts including those authored by Traditional Owners.
From our Science Classes:
This term in Science students have been learning about Biology. Biology is the study of living things.
In junior Science students have been studying the observable features of living things and their habitats. The Year Ones have been embarking on ‘Schoolyard Safaris’ on the hunt for various minibeasts. The Year Twos have adopted some mealworms as class pets, they are hoping to observe much growth and change over the coming weeks. The Year Twos have also been bringing in some beautiful baby photos to discuss how much they have grown and changed since they were born. Our Year Three students are exploring how living things can be categorised into groups based on their features. They began with defining what living and non-living means before moving onto grouping living things into plants and animals. They will now explore how animals can be grouped into vertebrates and invertebrates with a focus on how to classify vertebrates into mammals, fish, birds, reptiles and amphibians.
It is the unofficial season of growth and change for the upper students. The Year 4s are growing their own beans and sprouts, the Year 5s have begun researching plant and animal adaptations while the Year 6 students have concluded their mouldy bread experiment. Several students have also had the opportunity to use the microscopes donated by the Rotary Club to investigate creatures and objects of all shapes and sizes found around the school throughout the term.
Having completed their Biology work in Term One, our Pre-Primary students have become meteorologists for the term in their Earth and Space science topic ‘Weather in my World’.
Community Notices
CONGRATULATIONS
6 St Columba’s students took part in the WA State Championships for Irish Dancing last weekend, the girls all danced so beautifully and we had some incredible results including one winning the state title for her age group and receiving her first STATE CHAMPION accolade.
The results within their respective age group were:
Brooky Hamilton (2W) – 1st
Evie Hamilton (3W) – 2nd (runner up)
Matilda Meenan (3W) – 4th
Kathleen Vaccari (4G) – 6th
Grace Masnyk (4G) – Championship Award
Sophie Jagger (6W) – Championship Award
Well done girls.
Classifieds
