Dear Parents and Carers, 

I hope this edition of our school newsletter finds you well? 

I would again like to extend my sincere thanks to our P&F for the outstanding Family Fun Night.  I have received a number of emails and face to face positive pieces of feedback regarding the evening and all the students I have spoken to mentioned that they definetly enjoyed themselves.  The event raised $7285, which is a wonderful result. So again, thank you P&F! 

The staff of St Columbkille's would also like the thank the P&F for their generosity in providing morning tea and lunch on Wednesday 30 October in celebration of World Teacher Day.  Thanks also goes to the Young Engineer group who purchased coffees and hot drinks for the staff on this day.  Thank you P&F and Young Engineers for showing your appreciation for the staff of St Columbkille's.  

Wellbeing Week is acknowledged each Term during Week 5.  Staff enjoy no meetings during this week and take the time to check in with themselves and their colleagues, family and friends about their wellbeing.  I encourage you to introspectively assess your own well-being and furthermore, to extend concern to colleagues, friends, and family by initiating conversations about their health and overall well-being.

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another". John 13:34

REMEMBRANCE DAY

On Remembrance Day we recall the tragedy of World War 1 and our ongoing hope for worldwide peace. As we look at our history and the news stories currently, we see that this hope is largely unfulfilled. So, this week in prayer we remember all those impacted by war, and we wait in anticipation, praying for strength and wisdom, knowing that we are a part of the answer to peace.

Remembrance Day should definitely be a time to remember the dead and the tragic loss of thousands who served selflessly for the freedoms of Australians and beyond. Yet, we also remember that we live in a world where the glory of God is a human being fully alive, and so our mission is to help people come to fullness of life, while recognising that the suffering of one and the suffering of all cannot be separated.

This week could be a time for us to commit ourselves to justice: to just relationships with those around us; to just relationships between nations; to justice for the displaced, the downtrodden and the marginalised. If justice becomes a worldwide reality then perhaps war will be no more. Perhaps our remembrance will bring peace.

How could you be an advocate of peace and justice this week?

Grandparents Day

Save the date for our annual Grandparents/Grandfriends celebration- Friday 29th November. We will begin with a liturgy, followed by open classrooms and morning tea. Morning tea will be BYO picnic so our Grandparents and students can bring some scrumptious delicacies to enjoy.

Parish Play Group Initiative 2025

A wonderful opportunity will commence in 2025!

Our parish playgroup will meet on Fridays during each school term from 9.30-11.30am. It will be offered to children from ages 0-5 years. The location is the Parish Centre, St Columbkille's Catholic Church. Morning tea will be provided as well as songs, playtime and craft. What a wonderful FREE opportunity to meet other families and chat over morning tea. For more details please contact Amy on 0423289320.

St Vincent De Paul Christmas Donations

This year Peter Riordan from our local St Vincent de Paul society has asked St Columbkille's for a gold coin donation from each student, so that Christmas gifts can be purchased for children in need. Our monetary donation will support families within the Corrimal area who are doing it tough this year. More information about this will be communicated shortly. There is still an opportunity to give food donations when attending church each weekend. Baskets inside the church can be filled with many items including tins of vegetables and fruit, longlife milk and weet-bix. Any offerings are greatly appreciated.

In order to further acknowledge and celebrate student engagement and effort in their learning, we are introducing Key Learning Area (KLA) End of Year Awards.

In each class, students will be selected to receive these significant awards in the following KLA's:

• English - 1 student per class
• Maths - 1 student per class
• Religious Education - 1 student per class
• Science - 1 student per class
• History/Geography - 1 student per class
• Creative Arts (Music) - 1 student per class
• PDHPE (Physical Education) - 1 student per class
• Italian - 1 student per class

Students are not necessarily selected for high achievement in this KLA, but rather, may be selected for one or more of the following reasons:

• Engagement in learning
• Demonstrating a positive attitude 
• Persistence
• Consistent effort
• A love of learning
• Demonstrating growth throughout the year

These awards will be presented at the final Award Assembly in Term 4 each year and will count towards receiving a Mary Mackillop Award (5 Merits/KLA Award= 1 Mary Mackillop). 

The Final Award Assembly for 2024 is Friday 13th December, beginning at 2:10pm. Check the school calendar for updates to time.

If your child is selected to receive a KLA End of Year Award, you would have been notified via compass last week. 

Mrs Christine Perre

Acting Assistant Principal

This year's Christmas Concert is fast approaching!

We will be joining together as a school community and warmly invite all families and friends to join us.

When: Wednesday 4th December

Time: 1pm-3pm

We hope you are able to join us!

Mrs Christine Perre

Acting Assistant Principal

The final day for Term 4 for students is Wednesday 18th December.

Thursday 19th December and Friday 20th December are Pupil Free Days.

• Thank You to our stall co-ordinators who took on the organisation and execution of stalls - Amber Morrisey, Simone Hammet, Laura Ravanello, Caroline Ayres all did an amazing job.
• Thank You to those who helped prior to the day with organisation and on the day with setting up - Sarah Alachkar, Tania Erven, Kerry Fabon you made the day run smooth.
• Thank You to each and every person who volunteered on a stall on the night and the amazing people who helped pack up at the end of the night - without you they could not have been successful.
• Thank You to all our wonderful bakers who donated to our cake stall - the amount of donations was outstanding and the quality was phenomenal.
• Thank You to all the parent for your support of our mufti days in the lead up to the night - the lower our costs the more profit we make.
• Thank You to our fantastic staff for all your help and support with the event and participating on the night. Special thanks especially to Mrs Disibio for her unwavering support.
• Thank You to everybody in the school community who contributed in any way big or small and for everyone who attended on the Night - everything helps!

SAVE THE DATE:

Our term 4 disco will be held on Thursday November 21.

There will be a Christmas Theme for the night so dress in your best christmas outfit!
K-2: 5.00pm to 6.30pm3-6: 7.00pm to 8.30pm

$5.00 entry per child includes Chips & a drink.

Lollies, novelties and glow items will be sold on the night.

Disco is supervised by teachers and is for current St Columbkille's students.

From SCC P&F

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

Rosalia Lane is strictly a no stopping zone. It is recommended that parents and carers should not park in the laneways and/or driveways (Coxs and Rosalia) prior to afternoon dismissal - Carlines commences at 3pm and finishes at 3:30pm.

We ask parents/carers and grandparents do not arrive before 3pm and wait in the either laneway. Arriving at and/or after 3pm greatly reduces the congestion and makes the flow of traffic safer and effective.

Please ensure that the following guidelines are adhered to for the safety of all. 

• Children must only be dropped off or picked up in the clearly mark designated area
• Children must only enter and exit from the driver side of the car
• Family names are to be clearly displayed on the sunviser of all cars. Please contact the office if you need a one
• Overtaking a stationary vehicle is not permitted - it is a dangerous practice and unsafe for students exiting vehicles.

Thank you once again for your ongoing support.

In the case of a school emergency parents / carers will be notified via a Compass Alert/email.  

In the event that your child requires emergency care you will be contacted via phone via the number you have provided to the school.  

It is vital that you have the Compass App downloaded and have access.  Should you require assistance with Compass, please call the School Office.  

Do you follow our school Instagram and Facebook pages? If not, now is the time to start!

Not only do we share lots of photos and videos of the students participating in various aspects of school life, but we also share a weekly event update each Sunday with important events happening that week. Check it out and don't forget to follow us!

Orders for Issue #7 of the Book Club magazine have now closed. We’re hoping to receive the orders by the end of next week and we’ll send them home with the students as soon as they arrive.

If you purchase early Christmas presents for your children through Book Club in Issue #8, please don’t forget to mark these orders as a ‘Gift.’ This will allow me to contact you directly to arrange a convenient way for you to collect or receive the items.

Thank you for your continued support.

Scholastic Book Fair

Thank you to all those who’ve been able to support our Book Fair.  The last day for sales is Tuesday. Here are the opening times for Monday and Tuesday next week:

Monday 11th November - 8:15am - 9am & 3pm - 3:30pm

Tuesday 12th November - 8:15am - 9am

Student School Library Books

In Week 2 of this term I sent out overdue library book notices to students. I also emailed this information to parents. I would like to thank all those students who returned their outstanding books and all the parents who helped their child look for the borrowed books at home. We now have 96 overdue books left to try and collect. 

I will be sending out more reminders near the end of this term. If your child receives an overdue notice, I would greatly appreciate your help in encouraging them to have a quick search for the book, as it’s possible they’ve simply forgotten they still have it. 

Please remind your child that they are always welcome to come and see me in the library if they have questions about an overdue notice, especially if they’ve already returned the book. I am also very grateful to those parents who have contacted me directly to explain if they believe the library book/s have been returned or if they can’t be located.

As always, thank you for your understanding and support in helping us maintain our library collection.

Mrs Carroll’s Musing

“What Do You Do With an Idea?” is a children’s picture book by Kobi Yamada, illustrated by Mae Besom. It tells the story of a child who discovers an idea, depicted as a golden egg with a crown. Initially unsure and hesitant, the child worries about others’ opinions and considers abandoning the idea. However, as the child nurtures and embraces it, the idea grows and transforms, ultimately changing the world around them. The narrative encourages readers of all ages to welcome their ideas, give them space to develop and recognise their potential to make a significant impact. 

I absolutely love What Do You Do With an Idea? and believe its message resonates with people of all ages. Last Friday, I had the pleasure of reading this book to our Kinder and Year 1 students during their library time. To deepen their understanding, I shared a personal experience they could relate to, explaining how I’ve often felt reluctant to share my own ideas. Having a creative mind, I sometimes worry my ideas might seem “a little out there,” or lack confidence to put them forward.

I told them about how this year I came up with the idea for a zany staff video for our Book Week. Initially, I only shared it with a close friend and colleague, wondering how it might be received. When they responded with, “That sounds hilarious, I reckon the kids will love it,” I felt encouraged to bring the idea to more people. The result? Many of our staff wanting to help bring the video to life which led to pure joy at watching our students (and staff) roar with laughter when the video kicked off Book Week.

Through this story, I encouraged our students to be brave in sharing their ideas. You never know where a single idea might lead – it could bring unexpected joy, inspire others and even help us connect more deeply with the people around us.

Pope Francis releases new encyclical, Dilexit Nos - "He Loved Us"

From the Catholic Diocese of Wollongong: In this deeply moving letter, the Holy Father calls the faithful to meditate on the boundless love of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Pope Francis reminds us that Christ’s heart is a fountain of mercy, unity, and healing, inviting us to draw near and renew our devotion. Dilexit Nos is a call to let His love transform us and the world around us!

Summary of Dilexit Nos (created by NotebookLM, an AI app. used for summarising information).

Pope Francis' encyclical letter Dilexit Nos focuses on the human and divine love of the Heart of Jesus Christ. Here is a chapter-by-chapter summary and overview:

Chapter One: Loved by Him

• This chapter focuses on the unconditional love of Christ for humanity.
• Christ's love is emphasised through his statements: "I have loved you" (Jn 15:9.12) and "I have called you friends" (Jn 15:15). 
• The chapter highlights that Christ "loved us first" (1 Jn 4,10) without any preconditions. 

Chapter Two: Actions and Words of Love

• This chapter emphasises that the heart of Christ is the source of his love for humanity and the foundation of the Gospel message.
• Christ's love is shown through his actions and teachings.
• The chapter explores the significance of Christ's actions, such as healing the sick and forgiving sinners, as expressions of his love. 

Chapter Three: Entering the Mystery

• This chapter focuses on the Trinitarian dimensions of devotion to the heart of Christ.
• While devotion to the heart of Jesus is Christological, the chapter highlights that Jesus is the way to the Father.
• The chapter uses the Letter to the Ephesians to show how Christian worship is ultimately directed towards the Father.
• It also discusses the role of the Holy Spirit in guiding believers towards the love of Christ.

Chapter Four: A Love that Gives Itself as Drink

• This chapter explores the Old and New Testaments to understand how God's love has been revealed throughout history. 
• It examines the symbolism of water in Scripture as a representation of God's grace and love. 

Chapter Five: Personal Spiritual Experience

• This chapter explores the personal and spiritual aspects of devotion to the heart of Christ.
• It looks at the lives and teachings of saints and blesseds who had a deep devotion to the Sacred Heart, such as Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque, Blessed Claude de la Colombiere, Saint Therese of Lisieux, Saint Charles de Foucauld, Saint Daniel Comboni and Saint John Eudes. 

Chapter Six: Communal and Missionary Commitment

• This chapter emphasises the communal and missionary aspects of devotion to the heart of Christ. 
• It argues that true devotion leads to extending Christ's love to others. 

Chapter Seven: Extending Christ's Love to Our Brothers and Sisters

• This chapter reinforces the importance of loving others as the ultimate expression of devotion to the heart of Christ. 
• The chapter cites scriptural passages that highlight the connection between loving God and loving one's neighbour: "Just as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me" (Mt 25:40) and "For the whole law is summed up in a single commandment: ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself’” (Gal 5:14). 

Chapter Eight: Reparation: Building on the Ruins

• This chapter explores the concept of reparation in relation to the heart of Christ, drawing on teachings from Pope John Paul II. 
• It emphasises the social dimension of reparation, focusing on acts of justice and mercy that address the suffering of others. 

Chapter Nine: Our Lady and the Heart of Her Son

• This chapter reflects on the relationship between Mary, the mother of Jesus, and the Sacred Heart.
• It highlights Mary as a model of devotion to the heart of Christ.

Conclusion

• The concluding chapter links the themes of Dilexit Nos to Pope Francis's previous social encyclicals, Laudato Si' and Fratelli Tutti. 
• It argues that the love of Christ empowers individuals to build a more just and fraternal world. 
• The chapter stresses that the love of Christ is the antidote to a world driven by consumerism and materialism. 

Until next time, best wishes to you all -

Katrina Carroll

SSO/Library Administrator