Dear Community of St Columba’s,
As we celebrate Father’s Day this weekend, we give thanks to God for the fathers, grandfathers, stepfathers, father figures and mentors who enrich the lives of our children through their love, guidance and steadfast support.
We recognise and celebrate the many ways fathers reflect God’s love through their patience, encouragement and presence. Whether it is helping with homework, cheering from the sidelines, sharing wisdom gained through life’s experiences, or simply being there when needed most, fathers play a vital role in shaping the hearts and character of our young people.
As a Catholic school community, we are reminded of St Joseph, the foster father of Jesus, whose humility, faith and devotion continue to provide a model of fatherhood grounded in love and trust in God. May all fathers be blessed with the strength, wisdom and grace they need in their important vocation. We wish you a happy and blessed Father’s Day.
Thank you to our P&F Executive and Father’s Day Breakfast Sub-Committee for their generosity of time and effort in organising this week’s Father’s Day Breakfast.
Book Week Parade
Book Week once again proved to be a highlight on our school calendar. Students embraced the opportunity to dress as their favourite book characters.
Staff embraced the opportunity to dress as a variety of nursery rhyme characters, bringing much-loved stories and rhymes to life for our students. The event provided a wonderful reminder that a child’s reading journey begins long before they can independently read a book. It starts with listening to stories, hearing language modelled by adults, and joining in familiar and rhythmic nursery rhymes.
These early literacy experiences are critical and should never be underestimated or rushed. Through shared reading, children learn foundational concepts about print, including how to hold and turn the pages of a book, that the symbols and marks on a page represent letters and words, and that print carries meaning. They begin to understand that spoken words can be represented in written form and that stories are a powerful source of communication, learning, and enjoyment.
We continue to encourage parents to read regularly with their children from a very young age. The simple act of sharing books, stories, and nursery rhymes helps build vocabulary, comprehension, imagination, and a lifelong love of reading, providing the strong foundation upon which future literacy success is built.
Thank you to Rita Cuthbert, our Library Officer for organising and our MC Mr Banks.
Upcoming Events:
- Friday 4 September: Father’s Day Breakfast, commencing at 7.30 am and Mass for Pre Primary to Year 6 students commencing at 9.00 am.
- Friday 4 September: SIBLING PHOTOS: Last day to place your order for a SIBLING PHOTO next week.
- Monday 7 September: School Photo Day (see SEESAW for your child’s day)
- Monday 7 September: Sibling Photos for all Kindergarten Students from 8.00am.
- Tuesday 8 September: School Photo Day (see SEESAW for your child’s day)
- Tuesday 8 September: Sibling Photos for families with surnames beginning with A-H from 8.00am.
- Tuesday 8 September: Pre Primary to Year 2 Liturgy commencing at 2.00 pm.
- Tuesday 8 September: P&F Meeting, commencing at 6.30 pm in the Library.
- Wednesday 9 September: Spelling Bee Competition – Congratulations to our students who have been selected to represent our school. Our best wishes to you!
- Thursday 10 September: School Photo Day (see SEESAW for your child’s day)
- Thursday 10 September: Sibling Photos for families with surnames beginning with I-Z from 8.00am.
In gratitude,
Gina Burns
Assistant Principal's Updates
Dear Parents,
The best gift any parent can give a child is the love of books and the joy and benefits of independent reading for fun. Children who read at home, or are read to, have a head start on reading success in school.
A reminder our School participates in Scholastic Book Club this year. Up to twice a term, during the school year, we will send home a Club catalogue with a different selection of books offered for all ages.
You’ll find award-winning books and bestsellers, as well as old and new favourites. I recommend them because the books span a wide range of children’s reading levels and interests and because they are inexpensive (some books cost as little as $3).
It is easy to order. We encourage parents to please order online via the Book Club LOOP platform which allows you to pay by credit card. Your child’s order is submitted directly to school safe and sound and the books will be delivered to class. You can place your child’s order at scholastic.com.au/LOOP or using the LOOP app, which can be downloaded from the App Store or Google Play.
Owning your own books is something special! I hope that you will encourage your child to order books this year. Each order helps earn free books and teaching materials for our classroom, however there is never any obligation to order. I know of no better way to encourage reading than to allow children to choose the books they want to read.
Please see Book Club Flyer attached to this newsletter for how to order and create an account.
UR STRONG FRIENDOLOGY
THE FRIEND-O-METER: TIME TO CHAT!
How is your child feeling in their friendships? Get them talking & opening up with this activity!
Some friendships bring out the best in us while, unfortunately, some bring out the worst. It’s so important to teach children that friendships are a choice and help them learn the difference between healthy & unhealthy friendships.
We developed a visual tool, The Friend-o-Meter, to help children easily reflect on and communicate how they’re feeling in their friendships. In our research, we have found that children do not always assess or evaluate the health of their friendships – meaning, they do not have boundaries when it comes to friendship. We want children thinking about whether or not friendships are healthy for them and what qualities are essential in healthy relationships.
Friendship skills are relationship skills and we do not want children first learning about healthy relationships when they’re teenagers in romantic relationships. We want kids asking themselves now, “Is this friendship (relationship) good for me? Does this person treat me with the respect I deserve?” so that this self-compassion will be an instinct when considering future relationships.
https://urstrong.com/resource/the-friend-o-meter-time-to-chat/
SCHOOL PHOTOS
School Photos are scheduled for Monday 7th, Tuesday 8th and Thursday 10th September.
Flyers with details about online orders were sent home last week. Please ask your child for the flyer so that you don’t miss out on placing your order.
Sibling photo orders must be placed before Midday, FRIDAY 4th SEPTEMBER.
Further information is attached to this newsletter.
Please contact the school office if you have any queries.
Mrs Leesa Vinciullo
APRE and Inclusive Education Coordinator
P & F News
🍩 Father’s Day – Donut with Dad 🍩
**Please note that pre-orders for donuts are now closed**
Reminder for THIS FRIDAY 7.30 – 8.10am – please join us for a special morning celebrating all the amazing dads, grandads and father-figures in our community. And don’t forget to dust off your paper aeroplane making skills! ✈️
A coffee van will be on site for coffee purchases – because donuts and coffee are always a good idea! 🍩☕️
Athletics Carnival Sausage Sizzle 🌭
We’re very pleased to share that the P&F Sausage Sizzle is back on for the Athletics Carnival! 🎉
A huge thank you to the wonderful parent who has put their hand up to help lead the sausage sizzle subcommittee and make this possible. It really does take people willing to step forward and lend a hand to keep these much-loved extras happening for our kids.
Sausage sizzle orders are now open, and a volunteer form will be shared shortly for anyone who can help with cooking, packing or distributing orders on the day.
As always, Just One Thing from lots of people makes a big difference. 💚🌭
St Col’s Athletics Carnival – P&F Cake Stall:
Ready set bake!
(Or buy, volunteer and donate!)
Our Athletics Carnival cake stall is fast approaching and we are still looking for volunteers and
baked treats!
Can you:
- Bake or buy something delicious
- Donate cash and we’ll purchase something on your behalf
- Volunteer to man the stalls and sell those cakes!
Volunteer sign up
VolunteerSignup – Online volunteer signup sheets – 2026 Aths Carnival signup sheet
Donate: pop your cash in the Donation box at Reception
Prefer to bake or buy? A reminder items need to be free from nuts, meat and fresh dairy (so no buttercream unfortunately) not require refrigeration and all containers need to be clearly labeled with your name, phone number, ingredients and item name.
Thanks,
The P&F team
Library News
And that’s a wrap…
A big thank you to Parents, Staff and Students for your help promoting Book Week and the literacy experience for our students.
This year’s Book Week winners have been announced and can be viewed at:
https://cbca.org.au/2026-winners/
Our students enjoyed a fun filled week of Book Week activities in the library, and finished off with the infamous Book Week Parade.
Winners of the Colouring Competition were announced and are off to Crow Books to spend their $20.00 Gift Vouchers. Congratulations to the following:
Kindy Green : Sophia Lobana
Kindy White : Aria Loong
Preprimary Green : Ava Murphy
Preprimary White : Ella Rich
Year 1 G : George Capellini
Year 1 W : Jasmine Shii
Year 2 G : Theodore Billington
Year 2 W : Grace Minchin
Year 3 G : Isla Elliott
Year 3 W : Ezra Ta
Year 4 G : Ella Aldworth
Year 4 W : Ross Smith
Year 5 G : Maddy Markowski
Year 5 W : Charlote deCourcier
Year 6 G : Maya Katich
Year 6 W : Mia Fernandez
Thank you everyone!
Mrs. Cuthbert
LIBRARY BOOK COVERING
The library has lots of new and exciting books needing covering so that our students can read them before the end of the year. If you can help by taking a small number of books home to cover, please call into the library Monday, Tuesday,Thursday or Friday. Precut covering for books is supplied. Your help is greatly appreciated by students and staff.
Rita Cuthbert – Library
(Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday)
Pastoral Care
Happy Birthday to:
The following students who will celebrate birthday’s in the coming week.
Sophia Lobana KG
Eva Batra KG
Shanelle Holding PKG
Evelyn Nebel PPG
Logan Salt PPG
Hannah Linke 1W
Hamish Linke 1W
Harper Bradley 2W
Lyla Bradley 2W
Violet Zachar 3G
Isabella Will 3W
Ella Phillips 4G
Riley Goulding 4G
Arden Bezich 5G
Mia Paulus 5G
The Pastoral Care Team will be holding the much-anticipated Father’s Day Raffle. Tickets are 50c each and will go on sale every morning outside the Library starting Monday 31 August at 8am.
Prizes will be drawn the morning of the Father’s Day Breakfast and either delivered to your child’s classroom or will be available for collection from the Administration.
All funds raised will go directly to our school community for use in times of need and in times of celebration.
We cannot do what we do without you!
WEEKLY RAFFLE ROSTER
TERM 3
Week 8 – 9 September
Week 9 – 17 September
| Kindy Green | Week 8 – Ari McGrath Week 9 – No Raffle – Sports Carnival Week |
| Kindy White | Week 8 – Jack Pinnington Week 9 – No Raffle – Sports Carnival Week |
| PP Green | Week 8 – Rosie Moore Week 9 – No Raffle – Sports Carnival Week |
| PP White | Week 8 – Evelyn Pearson Week 9 – No Raffle – Sports Carnival Week |
| Year 1 Green | Week 8 – Ivaan Kaushal Week 9 – No Raffle – Sports Carnival Week |
| Year 1 White | Week 8 – Noah O’Hart Week 9 – No Raffle – Sports Carnival Week |
| Year 2 Green | Week 8 – Clara Pearson Week 9 – No Raffle – Sports Carnival Week |
| Year 2 White | Week 8 – Ned Moore Week 9 – No Raffle – Sports Carnival Week |
| Year 3 Green | Week 8 – Eliza McGlue Week 9 – No Raffle – Sports Carnival Week |
| Year 3 White | Week 8 – Isabella Will Week 9 – No Raffle – Sports Carnival Week |
| Year 4 Green | Week 8 – Aiden Harris Week 9 – No Raffle – Sports Carnival Week |
| Year 4 White | Week 8 – Ivy Quach Week 9 – No Raffle – Sports Carnival Week |
| Year 5 Green | Week 8 – Thomas Pinnington Week 9 – No Raffle – Sports Carnival Week |
| Year 5 White | Week 8 – Patrick McGlue Week 9 – No Raffle – Sports Carnival Week |
| Year 6 Green | Week 8 – Oscar Hamilton Week 9 – No Raffle – Sports Carnival Week |
| Year 6 White | Week 8 – Kelvin Quach Week 9 – No Raffle – Sports Carnival Week |
Award Winners
MERIT AWARDS – Term 3, Week 7
Congratulations to all the recipients of this week’s Merit Awards:
PP Green – Rumi Duff, Fiadh Jennings, Poppy Kay, Ava Murphy, Charles Warren
PP White – Joe McIntyre, Chloe Metherell, Julie Nguyen
1 Green – Isaac Comber, Penelope Halls, Jennifer Hart, Emilio Papalia
1 White – Matilda Arfuso, Kailesh Jeganathan, Caolan Meenan, Jasmine Shii
2 Green – Ethan Harris, Mason McMurtrie, Marie O’Callaghan, Peyton Palmer
2 White – Harley Johnson, Kai Loong, Siena Winspear, Eva Woodley
3 Green – Eliza McGlue, Harper Raven, Isaac Tran, Digby Weaire
3 White – Asher Borich, Norah Cregan, Maxeen Li
4 Green – Jax Fermanis, Rohan Hurley Swiderski, Ella Phillips
4 White – Aurora Cameron, Amelia Gibson, Smith Robertson, Mason Sardelich
5 Green – Joana Gunawan, Thomas Pinnington, Darcey Poulsen, Lucas Scali
5 White – Xander De Souza, Megan Hutton, Jacob Mak, Roisin Veale
6 Green – Davern Laffrey, Senumitha Ratnayake, Amelia Wilkey
6 White – Teodor Dimitrijevic, Thomas Gibson, Eve Hamilton, Kelvin Quach
Class News
From our Year 4 Classes:
Persuasive Writing
In Year 4, students have been developing their persuasive writing skills by exploring a range of persuasive devices and learning how these techniques make writing more convincing and engaging for the reader. We have taken a deep dive into identifying and using devices such as rhetorical questions, emotive language and strong opinion statements.
Students have also been learning to write strong, well-structured paragraphs using the TEEL technique (Topic sentence, Explanation, Evidence and Link). To showcase their new skills, students wrote persuasive texts debating whether our class should have a class pet. They highlighted their favourite persuasive devices throughout their writing and demonstrated creativity, critical thinking and strong reasoning to support their viewpoints. We are very proud of the effort and enthusiasm students have shown during this unit.
