Principal's Post

Dear St Columba’s Community,

This week, I have spent most of my time reading through all the end-of-year reports for our students. As I approach the end of my second year at St. Columba’s, it’s been so rewarding to put faces to more and more names across the school. I’m getting better at recognising everyone, though I still occasionally mix up a few students — and their siblings! Learning the faces of our amazing students is one of the highlights of my job.  

I want to congratulate all of our students on their learning and growth throughout the year. Our assessment and reporting processes are designed so that parents are not encountering any new or unexpected information in the reports. Instead, these should be a summary of the ongoing communication via SEQTA, SEESAW, or parent-teacher meetings. I truly hope you find pride and joy in reading about your child’s progress and achievements over the 2024 academic year. It’s been a year full of growth, and I’m excited to celebrate it with you. 

Edu Dance Concert

We look forward to seeing you this Friday at our Edu Dance Concert, commencing at 6.00 pm for PP to Year 6 students. Please see the previous Donegal for information about this evening. 

Our Kindy Edu Dance Concert will be held this Friday at 2.15 pm. Older siblings are welcome to view the concert. Parents, please ensure you sign your child out of class first at the front office and then collect them directly from their classroom.   

We are monitoring the weather conditions for Friday evening. If there are any changes to the current arrangements for Friday evening, families will be notified by 10.00 am Friday morning.

Transition Morning 

Next Monday morning, students will transition to their new classroom and meet their new teacher for 2025. We have some new staff members joining us next year and they will be available to meet their class also. 

Megan Swalski: Pre Primary Green. Megan is currently completing her Masters of Education. Megan has recently completed a practicum in Pre Primary Green. Prior to this Megan has worked as an Education Assistant and as an Educator and Room Leader in Early Child Care Services. 

Christine Williams: Pre Primary Green. Christine graduated in 2014 and has worked across early childhood years in both Government and Catholic Schools, most recently Notre Dame Catholic Primary School. 

Sarah Mills: Year 1 White. Sarah graduated in 2022 at Maynooth University, Ireland where she also worked supporting students with special needs. Since arriving in Australia, Sarah has been working as a relief teacher supporting students from Year 1-6. 

Kiera More: Year 5 Green. Since graduating from Notre Dame University in 2020, Kiera has been teacher in mostly upper primary at Our Lady of Fatima in Palmyra. Kiera has also held additional roles of responsibility in the area of Student Well-being. 

We look forward to welcoming Megan, Christine, Sarah and Kiera to our school. 

Our teachers have put a great deal of effort into considering all the information provided when creating the class lists for 2025. While I believe every student has been thoughtfully placed to support their learning and well-being, there may be some situations that could lead to disappointment. It is tough to see your child unhappy, but it is important to recognise that disappointment, though unpleasant, is not a negative emotion. In fact, it has been shown to play a key role in a child’s intellectual and social growth. The article in the link below by Dr. Janice Morais may offer valuable insights on how to help your child build resilience in facing disappointment. 

Strengthening Your Child’s Disappointment Muscle 

2025 

As we near the end of the school year, updated information for 2025 will be available on the School Website soon. Some staffing announcements were shared in the recent Donegal, but please see below for additional details to keep you informed about the upcoming year. 

Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten Times 

Please note there are some changes to PK and Kindergarten times.  

Pre-Kindergarten (Tuesday/Thursday) 

Doors open: 8.45 am 

Classes Commence: 8.55 am  

Class Conclude: 2.50 pm  

Kindergarten (Monday/Wednesday/Friday) 

Doors open: 8.30 am 

Classes Commence: 8.40 am  

Classes Conclude: 2.50 pm  

Start and Finish Times PP-Year 6 

A reminder about our staggered start and finish times for Pre Primary to Year 6. These remain the same as this year. 

PP to Year 3: 8.30 am – 2.50 pm 

Year 4 to Year 6: 8.40 am – 3.00 pm 

PP – Year 6 Recess and Lunch Times 

After listening to the challenges that the split recess and lunch times have posed for both staff and students, we have decided to make changes for all students from PP to Year 6, bringing these back into alignment for all students.  

PP – Year 6 Recess: 10.20 – 10.40 am 

PP – Year 6 Lunch: 12.30 – 1.10 pm 

Lunch Orders 

Families continue to be able to order lunches for their children Wednesday to Friday through our Canteen provider Locavora.  

PP students will now be able to have lunch orders, as their eating times will be the same across as other year groups. 

Assemblies 

To better support our students’ learning, particularly their literacy time, we will be trialing assemblies to be held on Tuesday afternoons commencing at 2.00 pm. This trial will be for Semester One, 2025. We will consider all staff, student and parent feedback in moving forward for Semester Two. 

School Fee Schedule 2025 

We are working very hard to keep increases to parents to a minimum. In line with wage and cost increases and the recommendation from Catholic Education WA Ltd, our fees have increased by 5.5% for 2025.  

The new Fee Schedule will be available on the School Website shortly. As always, families who are experiencing financial difficulties, should make a time to meet with the School Principal. 

Therapy on Site 

There has been a positive response from parents wishing to liaise with Speech Matters WA in providing onsite Speech Therapy to their child in 2025. Please refer to earlier correspondence sent by Niall Kehoe on SEESAW. 

Procedures for arranging other therapy agreements on site are as per 2024. Please contact the office for an Application for Therapy Agreement and send the completed application to Leesa Vinciullo – leesa.vinciullo@cewa.edu.au who will be co-ordinating all other requests for therapy on site in 2025. 

Upcoming Events 

• Friday 29 November: Edu Dance Christmas Concert commencing at 6.00 pm  (Kindy Concert @ 2.15 pm)
• Monday 2 December:: Transition to 2025 Classes 
• Tuesday 3 December: School Reports distributed to parents 
• Wednesday 4 December: 9.00 am Final School Mass where our PP Students will lead the Nativity. 
• Wednesday 4 December: 6.30 pm Year 6 Graduation Mass and Awards Evening 
• Thursday 5 December: Big Day Out  
  • PP – Year 5 to Belmont Cinemas 
  • Year 6 to Outback Splash 
• Friday 6 December: Final Day for Students 

In gratitude,

Gina Burns
Principal

Uniform Shop 

Please note the following dates for Term 4 opening:

Wed 4 December 2.30pm to 3.15pm

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

Christmas/January opening hours for JFE are attached to this newsletter.

P & F News

EOI — CLASS REPS & PF TEAM 2025

There are some absolute talented parents at our School — they volunteer at EVERY event, put their hand up to SELL raffle tickets, bake AMAZING TREATS for carnivals and head to meetings as CLASS REPS every other month or so! These parents are the cornerstone of the fundraising at St Cols and bring to life the team which helps support the additional spending goals that all our kidlets benefit from at School. We invite new Dads and Mums to get on board and join the team in delivering another successful year of fundraising in 2025. If you’re ready to sign up and join in, actively or non-actively, please take a moment to fill out the survey and we look forward to being in touch early in the new year: https://s.surveyplanet.com/tfkdowhi

 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.

 FINAL EVENT

• 29 November – EDU Dance concert

Pastoral Care

Award Winners

MERCY AWARDS – Term 4, Week 7

PP Green – Harley Johnson
PP White – Zahlia Phillips

1 Green – Leo Duff
1 White – Oscar Harstrom

2 Green – Jax Fermanis
2 White – Charlie Bateman

3 Green – Monica Jaramillo Restrepo
3 White – Jacob Hofmann

4 Green – Thomas Armstrong
4 White – Poppy Lillico

5 Green – Alex Pizzata
5 White – Ella MacPherson

6 Green – Annabelle Ong
6 White – Abraham Lawes

MERIT AWARD – Term 4, Week 7

1 White – Jake Bouteloup

Religious Education and Curriculum News

From our Pre-Kindergarten Classes:

Happy Birthday Jesus!

From our Kindergarten Classes :

Community Notices