Principal's Post

Dear Community of St Columba’s,

Following on from last week’s Donegal I would like to elaborate on the Mercy Value of Faith.

Faith can seem like one of the easier values as it connects to our religion. However, this can lead to our understanding of Faith being reduced to signs, symbols and rituals such as crosses, going to Mass or prayers. Faith is to be a lived expression of the Catholic teachings. Examples include, living one of Jesus’ greatest commandments “Love your neighbour as yourself” or showing preferential option for the poor (Catholic Social Justice Teaching).

Faith is not only to be lived but felt. Being a faith filled community means we are articulating the mission of the Church in all we do, in good times and in bad.

I hope this has provided you with a Catholic perspective on how our value of Faith relates to our Catholic Tradition and our Mercy Values Framework.

Swimming Lesson Survey

Thank you for participating in the Swimming Lesson Survey.

Assuming one survey response was received per family, approximately 25% of families took part in the survey.

We are pleased to note that 75% of respondents are enrolled in either Private or VacSwim lessons. Research from Deakin University indicates that standalone school programs alone are not sufficient for effective skill retention. Weekly swimming instruction is necessary to maintain and enhance swimming and water safety skills, as children often lose the benefits gained from single school-based programs. Statistics from Royal Life Saving Society show the children most at risk of death by drowning are children aged 0 – 5 years of age, highlighting the importance of swimming instruction before children commence Primary School.

Of those who completed the survey, 40% support the school’s decision to not offer interim swimming lessons. I continue to support the decision made by the Leadership Team at the time for the below reasons:

• The time away from instruction when the research tells us standalone school programs alone are not sufficient for effective skill retention.
• The cost to take students swimming lessons (bus, pool entry, program).
• Maintaining child protection procedures for up to 60 students during change times.

Whilst we do not hold swimming lessons, we do hold a compulsory swimming carnival for Years 4-6. A pre swimming trial is offered to students in Year 4 before the carnival to support the children and school in making decisions for what events they may wish to participate in. The Swimming Carnival has events for all ability levels and is used to determine the students who will participate in the Catholic School Sports Association’s Interschool Carnival.

We hope this information helps our community to understand the school’s decision in maintaining its stance on holding in term swimming lessons.

Class Placements 2025

Last Friday I sent an email via SEQTA to all families regarding the school’s procedures for this. If not already, please take the time to read this.

Car Bay Raffle

Please note the bay in the Staff Car Park marked “Principal” is reserved this term for the lucky family winning the P&F Car Park Raffle. Parking in the staff car park is reserved for staff and the family winning the P&F Car Park Raffle. Please pass this message onto anyone who may be collecting your children from school for you.

Upcoming Events

• Friday 18 October: Years 3-6 attending Parish Mass
• Friday 18 October: P&F Student Disco
• Monday 21 October: Year 3 Excursion to Herdsman Lake
• Tuesday 22 October: P&F Meeting @ 7pm in the School Library
• Thursday 24 October: Interschool Athletics Carnival
• Friday 25 October: Assembly
• Friday 25 October: Teacher Appreciation Day

In gratitude,

Gina Burns

Principal

Library

Please note that the library is closed before school until further notice.

Uniform Shop 

Please note the following dates for Term 4 opening:

Wed 6 November (first Wed of month)

Then each week until end of term:
Wed 20 November
Wed 27 November
Wed 4 December

Orders can still be placed online for delivery to your child’s class each Friday.

P & F News

https://volunteersignup.org/EH98J

 FUNDRAISING FOCUS

Gingerberry Offer – Rob and Jayne Jagger have been a part of the St Columba’s community since 2015 and want to give back. Rob designs baby & children’s feeding products and has been in the industry for 20+ years. His brand Gingerberry, affectionately named after his girls Sophie and Lilah with their ginger & strawberry hair, focuses on ergonomics and provides young families with all they need when introducing a sippy cup, starting solids for the first time & teaching their little ones how to hold cutlery correctly. Rob is offering 20% off with part proceeds going to the School. Simply head to the website www.gingerberry.com.au and enter these two discount codes at the checkout (STCOLS20 + FREE) – all orders can either be collected from their home in Bayswater or the school and this offer will be on for the remainder of 2024. We understand you may be past this point or there may be another little bundle on the way, however they make great gifts and this offer can be passed onto friends. See flyer attached to this newsletter.

Containers for Change deposits – 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, 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.

 EVENTS FOR YOUR DIARY

• 18 October – School Disco

NEXT P&F MEETING

The next P&F meeting will be held on Tuesday 22 October at 7.00pm in the Sr Irena Library. We welcome all families to join in on the conversations and get involved by volunteering. Please find the agenda attached to this newsletter.

Pastoral Care

Award Winners

MERIT AWARDS – Term 4, Week 1

PP Green – Nathaniel McShanag, Peyton Palmer
PP White – Akira Romeo

1 Green – Nathaniel Byrde
1 White – Molly Veale

2 Green – Chase Gilbert, Rohan Hurley Swiderski
2 White – Ezekiel Byrde, Erin Kennewell

3 Green – Jenson Kootje
3 White – Owen Metherell

4 Green – Anh Hoang, Matilda Meenan
4 White – Huw Humphreys, Abigail Vernon

5 Green – Mariana Pulido Vargas, Alana Raj, Jack Wilson
5 White – Stella Kent, Kathleen Vaccari

6 Green – Edmond Cavalli, Chloe Hayward
6 White – Braelyn Carruthers

Religious Education and Curriculum News

From our GATE Classes :

This term, GATE students will be diving into The Eleventh Hour: A Curious Mystery by Graeme Base, a fun and challenging unit designed for gifted learners. They will explore a world filled with interesting puzzles, beautiful illustrations, and clever wordplay that encourages them to think critically and creatively. Each week, students will tackle different types of puzzles, including visual challenges and word games, helping them improve their ability to make inferences and solve problems. As they read the book, students will work together on group activities, share their ideas, and reflect on the themes and messages in the story.

At the end of Term 3, students had a focus on Religious Education in exciting and interactive ways. Students had to demonstrate this understanding through a Minecraft build that show how people are called to love God and others.

Students reflected on various Bible stories where Jesus demonstrated love for God and others, brainstorming specific examples that resonated with them. They also discussed projects within the community that exemplified love in action, inspiring them to think critically about their role in embodying these values. Students designed a Minecraft build that showcases how people are called to love God and others, using what they’ve learned from the Religious Education Curriculum.