Dear Parents and Carers,

I hope you have enjoyed the fortnight.  

Last week I announced that after 2 and a half years at our school, Mrs Adelaide O'Connor had made the decision to resign from her full-time position at St. Columbkille's and her permanent position within the Diocese of Wollongong. Mrs O’Connor’s final day will be Friday, August 2nd (Term 3, Week 2). Mrs O’Connor is planning on returning to the corporate world, and as it is the end of semester she has decided to hand over the reins of 6 Blue to afford both the class and the new teacher the opportunity to see the end of the year out together. This will allow for a smoother transition and provide both the class and the incoming educator with ample opportunity to navigate the remainder of the academic year as a cohesive unit.

While Mrs O’Connor has decided to step back from her full-time teaching responsibilities, she has offered to continue working on a casual basis during her transition to her next professional endeavour. Therefore, it is possible that we may have the pleasure of her presence beyond her official resignation date.

I again take the opportunity to express my gratitude to Adelaide for the contributions she has made to our school community over the past three years. Her dedication, professionalism, and commitment to her role have been much appreciated.  

Ms Finlay Joseph continues to be unwell.  At this stage Miss Alyssa De Francesco will continue teaching 4 Gold until the end of Week 1 Term 3. We ask that you keep Ms Finlay Joseph in your prayers.  

Yesterday we held a Mufti Day with donations of lollies for the upcoming P&F Family Fun Night.  Thank you for all your donations.  If you are able to assist with the organisation of the Fun Night please reach out to Sarah Foster, President of the P&F. 

A warm congratulations to all our Year 6 students who this week received the Sacrament of Confirmation. May your faith continue to grow stronger and guide you throughout your life, always remembering that Christ is the Way.

As we conclude Term 2, I extend my heartfelt gratitude for your support and partnership. Your active involvement in your child's education is instrumental in their growth and development, academically, socially and emotionally. I wish you and your family a restful and enjoyable school break. May it be filled with cherished moments and memorable experiences.

See you when school returns on Tuesday 23 July.  

Warm regards, 

Maria Disibio 

Acting Principal

During the week it was announced that after considerable discernment, Kevin Devine, Principal  of St Justin's, Oran Park has decided to resign from his position. As a result, Brad Colquhoun will continue in the role of Acting Principal at St Justin's until the end of the 2024 school year. During this time, I will continue in the Acting Principal role at St Columbkille's and Christine Perre will continue in the Acting Assistant Principal position.

Please find the formal announcement attached.

I take this opportunity to congratulate both Brad and Christine and thank the community of St Columbkille's for your support.  

Following this, Mrs Melanie Stephenson will continue in the role of Acting Middle Leader Two, Miss Molly McDonnel will take 3 Blue each Thursday and Mrs Kiara Lattimore will continue to teach Italian each Wednesday.  Congratulations and thank you.  

Maria Disibio - Acting Principal

Confirmation

Our Confirmation evenings were wonderful celebrations for our Year 6 students, and our friends from various state schools. Bishop Brian certainly speaks from the heart when acknowledging the gifts of the Holy Spirit these students will now endeavour to live out. Congratulations to all involved in the preparation of these children and we continue to keep them in our prayers as they live out their faith.

If you are interested in further information about this topic please see the pdf flyer below.

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Religious Literacy Assessment

Our Year 4 students will sit the annual Religious Literacy Assessment on Monday 5th August. A practise test will occur on Tuesday 23rd July as iPads are used for obtaining this data. This assessment provides a sustained and systemic Diocesan approach to the documentation and reporting of students’ learning in the key learning area of Religious Education (RE) across the diocese and in particular, aspects of religious literacy. It is a means of celebrating and sharing the good news about students' learning in Religious Education and enables the story to be told on a continuing basis. Assessment of religious literacy focuses on students’ knowledge and understanding of the key concepts that are being addressed by the RE program and the students’ ability to communicate with their religious tradition.

Family / Parish Mass

Save the date: Thursday 15th August @ 6pm

Our next Family/Parish Mass will be held on the Feast of the Assumption (15th August). Our Early Stage 1 and Stage 1 students and staff will take a leading role in this mass. In weeks 8, 9 and 10 our Year 3 students will make their First Holy Communion at a Sunday morning Mass. If you are able to join us at one of these celebrations you are most welcome.

Have a wonderful two week break!

Mrs Jo Herring - Religious Education Coordinator

Our 2024 Annual Improvement Plan (AIP) has been centred around Domain 6: Leading Systemic Curriculum Implementation with our goal being: Students will demonstrate growth in spelling through evidence-based assessments. 

In the coming weeks, we will be finalising our 2024 AIP Goal and considering recommendations from our recent Cyclic Inquiry to determine our next priorities. 

Mrs Christine Perre

Acting Assistant Principal

Thank you so much to our wonderfully generous school community for your donations of food to support our St Vincent de Paul Winter Appeal. Mr Peter Riordan of the Corrimal Branch came to our school today to collect your donations. 

In total we collected 10 overflowing washing baskets of food. 

A huge thank you for your generosity and support. Mr Riordan would also like to express his thanks. 

The Mini Vinnies Team

From the 24th June, Principal Awards (in sticker books) will be distributed at Thursday Morning Assemblies on Balawarri (Front Cement) at 8:50am.

If you would like to come along, you are most welcome. 

Mrs Christine Perre - Acting Assistant Principal 

We have a contact who is wiling to collect and ship our old school uniforms to a school in Fiji.  She will require old suitcases to pack the unforms within and although she usually funds the cost herself, I'm sure we can support her through some fundraising when the time comes.  

If you have any old St Columbkille's uniforms that are in good condition (no rips, major stains or buttons missing) and that you no longer need, please send them to school washed and folded. We will pack them in suitcases ready for pick up.  

Should you have any old suitcases, that are in fairly good condition, that you no longer require, these can also be dropped off at school. I am told that the suitcases are also put to good use as wardrobes once they have transported the clothing items.  

Thank you in advance for your support. 

It has been a busy term, with the Arludo Game Design competition continuing, along with the Tynker Coding group that was formed following learning how to use the MBots. The students who elected to be involved in the STEM MAD competition met with Mr Woods from the Catholic Education Office to fine tune their design process.

During next term we will be involved in the ICAS Competitions and the Kids News Spelling Bee, along with further opportunity to visit the Diggers Nursing Home to showcase our music, dancing and singing skills.

Michelle Lace - Leader of Enrichment

On the 24th of June a group of Year 6 and Year 5 students ventured out on a walk around the block to the Illawarra Diggers nursing home. The students entered the home and were welcomed warmly by the staff and residents. They got to know some of them and were curious about what they knew about our school and what had changed in the generations before us. One of the men who was 106 years old shared a lot of knowledge. There were some students who shared their skill in drawing with the women residents and had a laugh while drawing. There was a great deal of joy in the air, as we admired some of the works and shared knowledge about their crochet and knitting. The students were grateful for the wonderful experience they got to enjoy.

Milla (Year 6) and Keira (Year 5) 

Today's spotlight is on the sixth of the 'Big Six' keys to reading...Comprehension.

Comprehension or understanding what we read is the ultimate aim of reading. Good readers comprehend in different ways depending on the book, article or website they are reading. Some of the ways readers comprehend include:

• predicting before reading and whilst they read
• making connections between what is being read and the reader’s own experiences
• asking questions about what is being read. What is this character going to do in this situation? Why did that character do that?
• monitoring meaning, checking predictions, confirming them, correcting them, re-predicting and re-reading
• summarising key parts of the story or information
• visualising the characters and setting
• inferring, interpreting and reading ‘between the lines’
• considering the text purpose. Why did the author write this book? How does the author intend for me to respond to this article?

Families can support their child at home with their Comprehension knowledge by:

Some Year 6 students have created News Videos to report on the following events: The Athletics Carnival, SCC 120 Years Celebration, and Confirmation. These can be viewed on our SCC Instagram. 

WriteOn Competition 2024

Last month, our students submitted their entries for the WriteOn 2024 competition, and we are delighted by the exceptional quality of their work. Selecting which stories to submit has been a challenging task due to the outstanding creativity and effort displayed by all participants.

Mrs. Lace organised the Stage 2 entry from Charlotte Reid.

I can announce Jessica McKevith from 6B wrote the Stage 3 submission. 

I would also like to add, Rosalie Larkin, also from 6B, was a very close contender. We’d like to congratulate all students who entered a submission and wish Jessica and Charlotte the very best of luck with their entries.

Here is Jessica’s entry:

From Carriage to Pavement

Blackened smoke and wet mist filled the sky. Puddles littered the ground, eager for their next victim. Drip, drip, drip went Anna’s hopes of looking dry and presentable. Her ever worsening, tatty and dishevelled dress tore as she accidentally stepped on it with her bare and ragged feet. A train arrived in the station near her, blaring its whistle, screeching its breaks announcing its arrival. As a carriage rode by Anna marvelled at the beautiful innate filigree, its fresh white awning and the majestic chestnut brown horse as she dodged around it. She tried not to reminisce about the carriages as she would get lost in a daydream, the forlornness for what had happened and the life that was taken from her. 

As she came into the train station she was flooded with a pool of people that seemed perpetual, noisy, chaotic and boisterous as the train opened its doors. Normally she would have been appalled by their bedraggled, messy and disgusting demeanour and outfits but today she was one of them.

Anna’s hands were drenched in sweat as she gripped her third class train ticket nervously.  She ran a dirt painted and calloused hand across the edges of her clean, and precious train ticket. The ticket stood out like a lone daisy in a rough, muddy terrain as the ticket’s fresh, crisp edges and smooth white paper stuck out in Anna’s sore and grimy hands. 

Grey, coal filled smoke pummelled out from a train  into the sky as it set off from the other platform. Anna heard a beckoning voice from a familiar face, the voice was strained from a lifetime of work but had a ring of kindness. A spark filled Anna’s body as she recognised the voice. The voice’s body was feeble and malnourished, but her apron crisp and white, as smooth as a piece of paper. Anna was glad to see that the woman was taking great and loving care in keeping her one nice thing clean, just like she did when she was working for her. Anna was happy to know that one thing stayed the same as a giant smile erupted from the other woman’s face when she saw Anna. With tiredness echoing throughout the woman's voice, she told  Anna to follow her to a sooty, yellow carriage. Anna wondered if she had made the right decision to support herself as a lowly maid instead of marrying another rich and snobby man, as her late husband's carelessness had been the reason he had lost his bank and life’s savings, sending her into a spiral of hardships. All she could wish for was that she would never forget the kindness shown by the people she used to overlook as she headed off to Lord and Lady Spencer’s Estate in the rolling, green hills of the countryside.

The stimulus image for 2024, courtesy of the Art Gallery of NSW was ‘The railway station, Redfern’ (1893) by Arthur Streeton.

St Columbkille’s 120 Year Historical Display

It is with a degree of sadness that I will be taking down the 120-year historical display of our school and its community during the holidays. Watching our students react to the display, absorbing the rich history of our school and the Corrimal area, has been a true delight. They have loved observing how their teachers have changed over the years and I have enjoyed engaging with visitors who came to see the display. It has all been incredibly rewarding.

This week, I had the pleasure of showing some former students around the display. Among them was Sister Yvonne, one of the last three Good Samaritan nuns in Wollongong. Sister Yvonne attended St Columbkille’s in the 1950s and brought along her friend Bron, who attended school with her but now resides in South Australia. By chance, Bron was visiting, making for perfect timing. It was a privilege to spend time with them, hear their joyful memories of St Columbkille’s, and witness their happiness as they recognised photographs of themselves, their friends, and family members. Seeing tears of joy is always a gift to behold.

This is just one example of the many enriching experiences I have had while showing people around the display. I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to learn about our past directly from those who lived it. Time is precious, and I am grateful people chose to share theirs with me while viewing the display.

I would again like to extend my thanks to Mrs. Paula Russo and Mrs. Christine Phillips for sourcing and compiling the display resources for the school centenary. Their hard work and dedication for that celebration made this display possible.

I hope you all have a wonderful break and look forward to seeing you and your children in Term 3.

Until next time from the library, best wishes - 

Katrina Carroll, SCC Librarian

South Coast Netball Gala Day

On Tuesday the 25th of June, Year 3,4 & 6 students attended the Netball Gala Day. The weather was fantastic and the students had a great day. They participated with much enthusiasm and learnt many new skills. Thank you to the parents who volunteered to manage teams and to the many parents who came to cheer their children on. A great day was had by all.

Mrs Kipp & Miss De Francesco

On Tuesday 2nd July Dylan Saveski, Darcy Fursey, Brody Foster and Sam Raschilla competed in their basketball grand final at the Snakepit. It was a tough match against the top team in the league. The score ended up with only a 2 point margin, the year 5 boys ended up winning with the final score 37-35, with each boy receiving a medal.

Catholic Education Diocese of Wollongong’s (CEDoW) Standard Collection Notice for parents and students has been updated. This notice explains how CEDoW handles the personal information of students and parents, and replaces the notice previously provided to you in our enrolment package. You will be able to view on the website from Monday 22 July.  

Senior students from St Cols have submitted artworks to be displayed in the Athletes' Village for the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. For the Australian Paralympic Team the village is a home away from home while they are competing. To make our athletes feel connected to Australia and to remind them of support from back home, the Australian Paralympic Organisation has requested Primary School students create artworks that show the athletes determination, courage and equality. Students were asked to create artworks to represent Athletes that have been an inspiration in participating in their chosen sport, or to help inspire our Australian Athletes to achieve their very best during the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. Congratulations to all our talented student artists at St Cols for producing such high standard works of art.

Student Artist List: 

Theia Vincent 5G

Janet Trinh 5G

Kai Fletcher 5G

Juliette Ayers 5B

Roma Aimasso 5B

Imogen Wright 5B

Amity Fuller 5B

Eoin Vaughan 6G

Sabina Satillan 6B

Cleo Mancini 5G

Our P&F requires an annual audit to be completed on their funds and we are wondering if there is a member of our school community who could complete this for us?  You would need to be a registered accountant and be able to supply an audit report.  

If you are someone you now could be of assistance, please call the School Office or speak with Rosie King . 

Thanks in advance.

Semester 2 Drama resumes on Wednesday 24th July and there are stiill some places available.

Please see the attached Flyer for further information.

Marianne Patton - Playspace Drama