Principal's Message
Dear Parents and Carers,
Welcome back to the start of Term 2.
Hope that you and your family are well and have enjoyed a wonderful start to the term.
Congratulations to Mrs Loretta Gallina on announcing her retirement from teaching after 40 years of service to Catholic Education in the Diocese of Wollongong, with 31 years spent here at St Columbkille's. Mrs Gallina's professionalism, dedication, personable manner, kindness and devotion to her students, along with her love of teaching, will be greatly missed by students, colleagues and parents. We wish Mrs Gallina, her husband Morrie and their family, every success and happiness moving into the future. On behalf of our school community, I would like to say, "Thank you Loretta for your care and support of our students at St Columbkille's, Corrimal".
We look forward Mr Nicholas Cervonaro working with the Year 3 team on a Monday and Tuesday for the reminder of the term.
Our well-wishes go out to all our mothers who will be celebrating Mother’s Day this Sunday. Whilst celebrating it differently this year without our annual Mother's Day Liturgy and morning tea, we wish all of our mums and grandmothers a sensational day with their families. Celebrate your special and most deserved day well.
AN INSPIRATIONAL PRAYER FOR MOTHER’S DAY
Dear Lord,
I may not pray often, and I may not pray enough, but when I do, this is all I ask of you…..
God, please give me a heart just like hers
She loves unconditionally, no matter what, no matter who…
God, give me courage to be like her
She is very brave, she makes me unafraid…
God, give me wisdom just like hers
She knows everything, big and small, she is there to help me through it all…
God, give me strength just like hers
She has been knocked down, yet she stands strong for another round…
God, give me beauty just like hers
When she smiles it gives me that feeling that everything will be okay
and my problems disappear for a while…
God, give me generosity just like hers
She helps the helpless, she never thinks of herself and she is so unselfish…
God, some day, if I am at least half the mum she was to me,
I will know that you were listening
On the day
That I prayed.
Amen.
Thank you to Caroline and Paul Ayers, Linda Logue, Sarah Foster and Nicky Bishop for their work in ensuring our students have had the opportunity to purchase (albeit differently) a gift for Mother's Day and in doing so supporting the many communities that were affected by the bush-fires earlier this year. Sixty-three families placed an order and we raised over $1500 in sales. Thank also to Claire Stenos and Linda Logue for donating items for the hampers. Your support and generosity is greatly appreciated.
Winners of the Mother's Day hampers are:
1st Prize Body Shop Gift Hamper (donated by Claire Stenos) - Jacobson Family
2nd Prize Body Shop Gift Hamper (donated by Claire Stenos) - Logue Family
3rd Prize Mum's Mega Gift Hamper (donated by Linda Logue) - Petch Family
4th Prize Mum's Amazing Gift Hamper - Jorgenson Family
5th Prize Mum's Super Gift Hamper - Potter Family
Based on continued government and Catholic Education, Diocese of Wollongong health advice, our SCC COVID-19 Student Transition Plan from Week 3 sent via Compass on Friday 1 May begins on Monday. Please refer to the attached articles -REMINDER: SCC COVID-19 Student Transition from Week 3 (Friday 1 May) and Learning Continuity Transition Plan Phase 1 - Week 3 Practical Application
- uncertainty around the lifting of restrictions - social and school protocols and procedures. ie; gathering, social distancing
- time needed to prepare for a school production ie auditions, rehearsals, building of props, making of costumes
- how we maintain the high standards and quality of our school productions with a sufficiently reduced preparation
- awareness of the increased workloads of students, staff and parents needed prepare for school production
Made Fresh, our school canteen provider, has been forced close due to financial difficulty. They have closed our canteen, along with several other primary school canteens within the Diocese of Wollongong. We thank the Made Fresh for their time at our school and wish their employees, along with their families, all the very best moving into the future. With our canteen currently closed, we will begin, with the support of the Catholic Education Office, Wollongong, the process of employing a new provider for our school.
Wishing you an enjoyable and safe next couple of weeks. It will be wonderful to have many of our families returning to school next week. Happy Mother's Day for Sunday. Enjoy the time with your families.
Take care
Brad Colquhoun - Principal