Principal's Post

Dear Parents and Caregivers

Welcome to another week of good times at St Col’s. Hope you are all travelling okay and looking after yourself.

As we head into our Faction Carnival week, there is much happening in preparing for the day for our Year 1 to Year 6s. Over the last few months, I have started heading down to watch the Bassendean Football Club on a Saturday afternoon. Grassroots football again in the Amateurs. Such good fun. They have been promoted to A Grade for the first time in their history heading into 2022. This is massive. What I have realised is how sport brings people together, gives a sense of belonging. Plenty of celebration during these good times. I realised just how much focus is placed on individuals in sport. You are in the spotlight, where each possession can be scrutinised. This got me thinking about this quote from Brene Brown. It is all about how the vulnerability of placing your talents and skills on display for others. It is this vulnerability that is a measure of our courage.

I had never really thought about vulnerability being an indicator of courage, but it so is. I started thinking about the wonderful experiences that come from sport, but also how awkward it can be for some of us at times. On Friday, at our carnival, we are going to have kids who are going to love the opportunity to be in the sprints and be on show. It is what they love. This is so exciting, as I love this too. I also love the fact that we are going to have kids who will be a little nervous about the day, as sprinting down the track in front of 1000 people, is awkward, makes them vulnerable even.

This vulnerability allows them to bring forth their courage. What I do know about this, is that there is no better community for our kids to be vulnerable. Why? Because I know the support we have for every one of our kids. There is such high respect, such gratitude and such positivity about our kids and school. Some of our kids on Friday will be feeling some anxiety about the day. I mean, how vulnerable are we when we do something we know that challenges us. I want us thinking about how we celebrate those kids that finish at the back of the field in their race, possibly even 20m behind. How do we celebrate their courage, while still celebrating the courage of those at the front of the pack?

This is the best part of a carnival, as this is where our true Spirit of St Columba comes out. We already smash this as a community. We provide such a safe space for our kids to be their best, to be brave at having a go. Just think of the pressure some of our kids put on themselves to win, and the heartbreak they feel when they do not achieve what they had hoped to achieve. To finish second and not take the first ribbon. For some of our kids, their vulnerability and their courage to still give it their best, is what needs to be celebrated. This is easy for me to say, and harder for you as their parents, as you feel everything they do, but we know they will get through this disappointment. It does come like an avalanche though for some of our kids, and that is okay, because you, we, are there to soften the fall.

We will encourage our kids to be gentle on themselves and their mates. To celebrate others who may have beaten us in a race, to congratulate those who may finish ahead of. All this takes courage and is a part of their learning, our learning.

This diagram about vulnerability links beautifully with everything I am talking about. Just think about how we all need to have the courage to be imperfect. We all need to have empathy, to be compassionate, to be kind to ourselves and others. We need to be who we are…we are vulnerable. We need to be prepared to take risks. This is where we truly show ourselves. It is such good stuff to be placing this in the centre of our thinking. I love this vulnerability = courage concept and way of thinking. Hope you do too. Hope it helps you take some pressure off yourself, and off those you love.

I could give you a thousand examples of this stuff in my life and in the life of our people at St Col’s. You know it. But how good is it to know we look after each other. Not about perfection, but rather about trying to be good people who care for others. Embrace the difference that will shine through in the carnival. Celebrate everything about our kids. Vulnerability, challenges us. Society would say we are not meant to be vulnerable, but what I am saying is, yes, embrace it and free yourself from the shackles of perfection. I am getting so much better as a person because of all of this vulnerability stuff.

Anyhow, what a blessing this is. Sort of hope you get to see it that way. I know, it is hard to at times because you are so under the pump and so busy, but hey that is one of the reasons for me writing this. Hopefully it gives you permission to be gentle on yourself and those you bump into through the days ahead, especially those close to you. Sometimes they are the easiest not to be gentle on because they are so close to us and we love them so deeply and unconditionally. So, in the end, it is all about the people, the people, the people.

Thanks for listening to my little bit of philosophising this week. Hope it sort of makes sense.

Faction Athletics Carnival

Year 1 to 6

Friday 17 September

Venue: Bayswater Little Athletics Centre

Wylde Road, Noranda

Start Time – 9.30 am

 The Year 3 to Year 6 400m events will commence immediately at 9.30 am.

End of Carnival – 2.15 pm

This is one of the best days of the year! Come along and enjoy seeing how wonderful St Columba’s Kids are at having a go and supporting their mates. It is all about fun and loving being a part of a faction and a team.

Our classrooms will be open at 8.20am for our teachers and students to get ready for the day and get straight onto the buses by 8.40 am at the latest.

Before school, the buses will be lined-up along Milne Street. Please do not park in any of the bays on the school side of Milne Street on this day.

Buses will be arriving at around 8.20 am. Please only use the Kiss and Drive on Roberts Street on Friday morning.

Schedule for the events of the day was uploaded to the school website yesterday. Please be aware these times are flexible depending on how the day is flowing.

DEEPEST SYMPATHY

On behalf of everyone here at St Columba’s School, we offer our deepest sympathy to Catherine Breen and Helen Pez on the passing of their dad and grandad recently. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family during this very sad time. We know Kevin will be showering his family with blessings from heaven. May Kevin rest in peace in God’s love.

We know many of our families suffer losses of loved ones. I thank our Pastoral Care Committee that care for our families quietly and respectfully in the background. We feel very blessed to know we have this support within our school. We should never forget how special this is. It is everything about who we are and I am so very grateful for their care for our people.

MERCY MISSION DAY

Mercy Mission Day will be celebrated on Tuesday 21 September. This is our major fundraising event for the year, the proceeds of which will go to the Mercy Missions and other local and global Catholic Missions and outreach agencies, such as Life Link.

Details of the day:

Mass at 9:00am

Stalls at 11:00 am-12.15 pm

Each class organises a stall and the students join in fun and activities on that day. It is requested that students bring small amounts of change (not notes) to spend at the stalls. Classes may also request small donations from families to run the stalls. This information has been communicated via SeeSaw.

Students may wear free dress for a gold coin donation.

Parents are welcome to attend the Mass and the stalls.

PRE-PRIMARY CARNIVAL

The PP Carnival will take place on Thursday 23 September, across the road at the Bayswater Primary School oval. The events will start at 9.00am and will be completed by 10.00am. This is a fun morning for all our kids and families. Always a wonderful way to complete the term.

LAST DAY of TERM 3

for students

Thursday 23 September

FIRST DAY of TERM 4

for students

Tuesday 12 October

Thank you to everyone for another term filled with excitement and joy. There is always ‘stuff’ to work through, but because we all get it, we are able to support each other and find a way. For the many moments of care that I witness every day, both within the grounds of our school, and way beyond to your homes and neighbours.

I have been loving living ‘meraki’ lately.

Just need to look at the care of your mates here at school, but also at the amazing work of our Pastoral Care Committee. They have done such amazing things over the last term. Quietly doing their stuff in the background in staying in touch with families who may be experiencing the loss of a loved one or celebrating the joy of the birth of a child. In gratitude for keeping an eye out for each other. It is very special, a very special part of our school and central to who we are. They live ‘Meraki’.

Blessings always and enjoy the remainder of the week.

Art

SCHOOL FACEBOOK PAGE

Don’t forget to Like our St Columba’s Facebook page. Yep, we are excited. Did you see the Pre-Primary’s eating the vegetables that they grew? Impressive.

LOST PROPERTY

All lost property items have been displayed outside the library. Please check before Thursday afternoon if you you have lost anything. All remaining items will be put back into second hand uniform shop, donated to charity or thrown out.

P & F News

Athletics Carnival Cake Stall
CALL FOR CONTRIBUTIONS!!
CSPWA (P&F) are running a cake stall again this year. Any contributions would be greatly appreciated.

All home baked goods are required to have a list of ingredients please. Also, nothing that requires to be refrigerated or has cream. Savoury GF Vegan appreciated.

CSPWA now have a square reader for card payments as well as cash. Sunday Club Coffee will be on site for your caffeine needs.

School Disco

CSPWA will be holding a disco on Friday 15 October to start the last term of the year off with a bang. More details to follow next week.

An evening of art with wine and cheese

CSPWA Main fundraising event for 2021 is on Saturday 23^rd October. Tickets are $25pp including grazing board and one drink of choice. When/where to purchase tickets will be confirmed next week.

Each class has completed an art piece that will be part of an art show and the highlight of the evening will be the chance to bid on these amazing pieces of work.

Please refer to the flyer attached to this newsletter.

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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.

Pastoral Care

Award Winners

Term 3, Week 8

PP Green –  Aimee Alexander, Maria Wai, Reuben Williams
PP White – Arden Bezich, Charlotte de Courcier, Rosie Veale

1 Green – Savannah Ceric, Gianna Krishnan, Abigail Vernon
1 White – Teodor Dimitrijevic, Luke Magee

2 Green – Kathleen Vaccari, Sandra Mandujano Liu
2 White – Miranda Ahn, Poppy Robinson

3 Green – Sebastian Kaless, Amy Lee, Sam Villamar
3 White – Chloe Bouteloup, James Hodson, Filip Kryachok

4 Green – Tyson Hayward, Zander Smith
4 White – Olivia Cullura, Camille Tribut

5 Green – Stella D’Esposito, Matthew Li, Tishan Ratnasekara
5 White – Kassandra Flexman, Ayanna Genete, Dylan Peel

6 Green – Hannah Kemp,
6 White – Mikaela Bentley, Drystan Chaloner

Community Notices

Mercy Mission Day

Mrs Pettit’s Year 3 class will be holding a ‘op shop’ for Mercy Mission Day.

Could you please look through your drawers and cupboards for anything that would be suitable- remember one person’s trash is another person’s treasure!

Toys, board games, books, knick-knacks and the like are all welcome.

Please deliver your goodies to Mrs Pettit’s room, which is downstairs next to the oval.

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2021 Term 4 After School Classes are OPEN for Enrolment

BRICKS 4 KIDZ® After School Classes are built on the popularity of LEGO® to deliver high quality Educational Play! Come and join in all the fun of our BRICKS 4 KIDZ® After School Classes with LEGO® and Coding with Robotics!

Please refer to the flyer attached to this newsletter. 

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Kora Centre

Childcare in Bayswater – Refer to flyer attached to this newsletter.

Kora Centre Inc. – Licensed childcare service at Bayswater

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Join us in making a difference.

Join Studio Pilates Mt Lawley on Saturday 18 September as we open the doors to the community to help raise essential funds for children’s cancer research.

Rally your friends, family and work buddies together for an inspiring reformer Pilates class, as we all dedicate the day to these children and those who love them.

FREE PILATES ORIENTATION CLASSES – Saturday 18 September

Orientation classes will be held at 9.15am, 10.15am, 11.15am.

Classes are 100% free, but donations to The Kids’ Cancer Project are 100% welcomed.

Be a champion for kids with cancer. Every donation counts as we join together and raise funds for children’s cancer research.

Bookings can be made at – https://clients.mindbodyonline.com/classic/ws?studioid=5721252&stype=-7&sTG=24&sVT=6&sView=day&sLoc=1&sTrn=100000015&date=09/18/21

Donations can be made here – https://community-spirit.raisely.com/t/studio-pilates

If you have any questions or would like to get involved please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Sammy Georgeff

Studio Pilates Mount Lawley

Tel: 0457 552 446

612 Beaufort Street, Mt Lawley, WA, 6050

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Classifieds