Principal's Post

What an amazing performance from our students at the Edu Dance Concert! Thank you to all families who joined us in celebrating their talents. 

A special thank you to our Pre-Primary students for leading the Gospel at today’s End of Year Mass. Thank you also to the Staff preparing the students off the bat of the EDU DANCE Concert. They were simply beautiful in their participation, and their reflection was both thoughtful and inspiring. This is a wonderful reminder of the joy and faith our youngest learners bring to our community. Thank you also to all families who were able to attend. 

From my office window, I witness the rehearsals and tremendous effort that goes into every performance for our community. I deeply appreciate the dedication and time invested in supporting our students, helping them share their gifts and bring people together. They absolutely love being part of it.

Welcome Fr Mark Payton 

This week we officially welcomed our new Parish Priest, Fr Mark Payton, at several events including the Edu Dance Concert, the Year 6 Graduation Mass, and today’s End of Year Mass. We are grateful for his presence and the tremendous effort involved in concluding our end-of-year celebrations. 

Thank you to our School Choir, led by Mrs Karen Gonsalves, who performed at the St Columba’s Parish Over 50s Club Christmas Celebration. This was a wonderful example of Christian service in action, supporting our wider community. 

Tomorrow, our students will enjoy their End of Year Excursions. Parents, please ensure you have read the notices provided on SEESAW.

End of Year Reports 

End of Year Reports will be distributed to families today. Having reviewed each report, I congratulate our students on their achievements and growth throughout the year and extend my sincere thanks to our teachers for their dedication in preparing them.

Congratulations Year 6 Graduates 

We are so proud of every single one of you. We cannot wait to see the amazing things you will achieve and the stories you will create. Go forward with courage: Grow in Faith, Seek Wisdom, and Live in Peace.

Best Wishes to Miss Melissa Merendino 

During the school holidays, our Education Assistant Melissa Merendino will become Mrs Melissa Corica. We wish Melissa and Julian every blessing as they begin their married life together.

2026 Calendar 

Confirmed events for 2026 will be available on the School Website by the end of next week. 

Some much-loved events are still awaiting confirmation and will be advised at the start of Term One. 

Please save the date for our Welcome Back to School Event on the School Oval: Friday, 6 February.  

Parent Teacher Interviews will be held throughout the day on the Pupil Free Day, Monday 16 March. We ask all parents to be available for an appointment, either in person or via phone. 

2027 Term Dates and Pupil Free Days, including the three-week mid-year break, are also available on the School Website.

Back to School 2026 

We look forward to welcoming our families back in the new year. 

Please remember the car park will be especially busy during the first few days. Teachers will be understanding of late arrivals, but we ask parents to take extra care not to block neighbours’ driveways or laneways.

A reminder Pre-Primary to Year 6 will return to consistent start and finish times in 2026: 

• Gates open: 8.00 am (supervision begins) 

• Classroom doors open: 8.15 am 

• Classes begin: 8.30 am 

• Classes finish: 2.50 pm 

• Supervision at Kiss N Drive and Milne Street remain unchanged: 2.50 pm – 3.20 pm 

• Recess and lunch times remain unchanged 

• Canteen days: remain unchanged Wednesday to Friday via Loca Vora (see School Website). Canteen Lunches will be available from Week One. 

Kindergarten  

• Doors open: 8.30 am 

• Classes begin: 8.40 am 

• Classes finish: 2.50 pm 

Pre Kindy 

• Doors open: 8.45 am 

• Classes begin: 8.55 am 

• Classes finish: 2.50 pm

Upcoming Events 2025/2026 

• Thursday 11 December: End of Year Excursions 

• Friday 12 December: Term 4/2025 School Year Ends for Students 

2026 

• Friday 30 January 2026: 9:00 am – 10.00 am Shaking off the Nerves Morning 

• Monday 2 February: Term One Commences for all Students 

• Friday 6 February: Commissioning Mass for all Leaders @ 9.00 am 

• Friday 6 February: Welcome Back to School Sundowner for Families 5.00 – 7.00 pm 

• Monday 9 February: Year 4 Swimming Carnival Try Outs 

• Tuesday 10 February: Parent Information Evening: 6.00pm – 7.00 pm 

As we conclude 2025, I extend heartfelt thanks to everyone who has supported our school and its events. 

To our students, thank you for the energy, courage, and joy in all you do. To our Year 6 leavers, we are proud of you and excited for the bright futures ahead. 

To our staff thank you for your care and expertise. It is the little things that make all the difference. 

To our families, thank you for your ongoing support. It is what makes St Columba’s such a special community. We send our love and blessings to all families departing St Columba’s, wishing you joy in the journeys and destinations that lie ahead. 

Christmas Mass Celebrations at St Columba’s Parish are advertised within this Donegal. As we journey through Advent, a season of hope and preparation, I wish you and your loved ones a joyful, peace-filled Christmas and every blessing for the year ahead.

In gratitude,
Gina Burns
Principal

St Columba’s Parish Christmas Mass Times

Family Vigil Mass: 24th December                  7.00pm
Christmas Carols: 24th December                  11.30pm followed by Midnight Mass
Christmas Day Mass: 25th December             9.30am

Assistant Principal's Updates

KAPTURE PHOTOGRAPHY – Last Chance to order School photos

A reminder,  all photos are currently still available to purchase, but they will be removed from our website at the end of Term 4 in readiness for next year. Please see the Kapture flyer attached to this newsletter for the School code.

Mrs Leesa Vinciullo

Assistant Principal

Leesa.Vinciullo@cewa.edu.au

School Counsellor News

Dear Parents

Please find below a link to the eSafety Commissioner website on information for parents regarding under 16’s and the new laws for social media.

https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents/social-media-age-restrictions#talking-with-under-16s-about-age-restrictions-%E2%80%93-videos

P & F News

That’s a P&F wrap!

The 2025 school year has been vibrant, energetic, and wonderfully community-minded for the St Columba’s P&F. With a fuller-than-usual calendar, enthusiastic family involvement and outstanding volunteer support, the P&F continued to play an important role in strengthening connections between students, parents and staff. Refining our meeting structure this year helped streamline operations and ensured P&F gatherings remained places of collaboration, creativity and genuine community input. Our volunteers, parents, guardians, grandparents and friends showed up time and again to cook, bake, organise, apply for grants, collect containers, set up, clean up, and support every event. Your generosity shaped the spirit of 2025 and we cannot thank you enough. Outside of school levies, we raised almost $55,000 an incredible increase from last year’s $20,000. More than $35,000 has already been returned directly to the school through literacy resources, student programs, musical instruments, tricycles, a neurodivergent conference, interschool shirts and breakfast initiatives, with over $20,000 committed to capital improvements. This is a tremendous achievement and one we should all be incredibly proud of.

As always, we are deeply grateful to the school’s leadership, staff, and students including Gina, Leesa, Niall, Lisa, Kylie and Janine for their ongoing support and enthusiasm. A huge thank you to every volunteer who gave their time to events throughout the year. From colour runs to bake sales, raffles to discos your commitment made these moments possible and meaningful. A special thank you to our incredible Executive Team along with our amazing Class Reps – your support and guidance have shaped a truly unforgettable year.

A Note from the Co-Chairs & Secretaries: With pride, gratitude, and a touch of sadness, we share that Nikki Staveley, Davina Goh, Courtney Eden and Sarah Sorgiovanni will be stepping down from their P&F Executive roles at the end of this year. Serving on the Executive has been a privilege. We are incredibly proud of the events, initiatives, and community connections we’ve helped build. A special thank-you to Justine and Bridie, who will remain in their roles for the rest of the term. We encourage fresh faces and community members to step forward and nominate for the Executive roles required in 2026. We will support the incoming team with a thorough handover to ensure a smooth transition. We’ve loved every moment: the planning, the problem-solving, the laughs and the friendships formed along the way. Thank you to all the P&F Reps, your dedication, enthusiasm, and willingness to jump into sub-committees and events made everything possible. It has been a highlight and honour to work together for our children and our school. On behalf of the St Columba’s P&F, we wish everyone a safe & Happy Christmas. We look forward to the future of the P&F and the positive impact it will continue to make across our school. Thank you.

Welcome Back Sundowner & 90th Birthday Celebration!

Join us on Friday 6 February, 5–7pm for a relaxed family sundowner as we kick off the year and begin celebrating St Columba’s 90th birthday. Bring a BYO picnic, enjoy children’s entertainment and treat the family to something sweet from the Lady Bee Ice-Cream Van. It’s a wonderful opportunity to welcome both new and existing families – we’re looking forward to starting the year together!

CALL FOR 2026 EXEC / CLASS REPS NOMINATIONS

The P&F are seeking two new members for the Executive Team in 2026 — a Chairperson and Secretary (nomination form attached to this newsletter). Also, we kindly invite parents to start thinking about whether they’d like to become a Class Rep in 2026. These nominations are called for in mid January. ANYONE can do this role and its great to have fresh faces, ideas and skill sets each year. Its for DADS and MUMS with all interests to take part in volunteering whilst helping the School achieve their fundraising targets and a social community! The P&F advertises this on our School community Facebook page mid January.

ROLE OF A CLASS REP

• Attend 1 x P&F meeting per term including the ACM.
• Deliver friendraising/fundraising ideas to the team on behalf of your Classes.
• Be a communications leader between the P&F and Class; gathering up to date family contact lists, sending P&F news/documentation, providing reminders about general School items, organising Teacher gifts as well as encouraging social catchups amongst your Class groups when required.
• Manage 1 x whole School P&F fundraiser event during the year, supported strongly by the wider team.
• Be a kind person, who wants to listen and learn from others and encourage our community to work together in delivering a strong year of fundraising for the benefit of all the students.

NEW SCHOOL SHOES 2026  (See flyer attached to this newsletter)

BUY YOUR SHOES FROM THE ATHLETE’S FOOT Morley Galleria — With $5 from every pair of shoes purchased being donated back to our School. This applies to the whole family across their fantastic range of school, sports, work and casual shoes. Make sure you mention St Col’s.

SECOND HAND UNIFORMS FACEBOOK GROUP

A new private facebook group has been setup exclusively to buying, selling and swapping second-hand school uniforms online. Please note, this group is separate from the main school community group and is purely for uniform-related posts. Search ‘St Columba’s Bayswater | Second Hand Uniforms’ and join now heading into uniform-selling-season!

Library News

Thank You to all the Special Parents who helped during the year to cover library books for our students.

You help is greatly appreciated!

Merry Christmas to all our families.

Rita Cuthbert – Library

(Monday, Thursday & Friday)

Pastoral Care

Class News

Physical Education Wrap-Up 🎄🥰

What a fantastic year it has been in Physical Education! Our students have shown incredible enthusiasm, teamwork, and resilience as they took part in a wide range of sports and skill-building activities. Throughout the year, classes explored Basketball, AFL, Netball, Tennis, Athletics, Gymnastics, Soccer, and Volleyball, developing both fundamental movement skills and deeper game awareness.

Beyond the oval and court, our school shone brightly in interschool competitions. At the Cross Country Carnival, our girls claimed 1st place out of 15 schools – the first time in our school’s history – helping secure an impressive 2nd place finish for our school. In the A Division Athletics Carnival, the boys powered through to achieve 1st place for the FIFTH year in a row, with the whole school once again finishing 2nd overall.

We are incredibly proud of every student for their effort, sportsmanship, and dedication. Thank you to our families and staff for your ongoing support – BRING ON 2026! 🏅

Community Notices