Dear Parents and Carers, 

Upon reflection of Term 3 we have a great deal to be thankful for. Reflecting on the Term through a lens of faith involves acknowledging God's continued presence, even amidst difficulties, and finding strength, hope, and gratitude in His faithfulness and the guidance of scripture. It also entails embracing life's challenges as opportunities for growth, seeking comfort in spiritual community, and expressing faith through loving actions toward others.

I take this opportunity to further acknowledge Mrs Narelle Bower's contributions to our school community over the last tens years and extend my sincere well wishes for her move to Orange. May the country life bring a wonderful new journey, a new pace of life and many new freindships and connections. Mrs Bower will be very much missed amongst our staff and school community.  

During Term 4, Miss Danielle Muse will teach Kindergarten Blue every second Thursday and every Friday. Miss Muse knows the Kinder Blue students well as she has worked with the students, Mrs Barrett and Mrs Bower during her recent University Practicum. Mrs Alyssa Barrett will take on the additional day each alternate Thursday.  

I also congratulate Sepy Nadalin as the successful applicant for the substantive position of Religious Education Coordinator commencing 27 January 2026 and look forward to working with her in 2026. 

Our school community has been able to raise a total of $3113 for the Carroll family. We know that no amount of money can heal, but we hope it helps you to remember that you are not alone and the community of St Columbkille's is always here.  

A huge thank you to our P&F and team of helpers, inlcuding Mrs Perre and Mrs Barrett for the preparation and organisation of the Colour Explosion. The afternoon was a great success with the smiles, laughter, squeals of delights clearly paletable.  The event raised $26 157.90 of which the P&F keep $15 694.74  Prizes will soon be delivered.  I congratulate Roman, Noah and Hudson and Samuel and Lucas for being the top three fundraisers. All of the boys were very excited to slime Mrs Lace, Mrs Perre and myself.  

I wish you all a wonderful school break.  May it be a time where you can step away from the routine of school; rest, reset and recharge doing all the things that assist you and bring you joy.

Warm regards, 

Mrs Maria Disibio 

Acting Principal

This Sunday, 28 September 2025, we celebrate the twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time. This Sunday, the Gospel reading comes from the Gospel of Luke. 

The Gospel value that comes from this reading is that of kindness. Kindness means treating other people nicely and with respect. This week, I am inviting you to Be Like Jesus by practising expressing genuine concern for those around you. Aim to speak, think and act kindly even when someone is not being kind to you. The Saints, when on earth, were able to be kind to every person they knew, even if they found it hard to do, because of how much they loved Jesus. 

Please feel free to use this prayer as a family when reflecting upon this Sunday's Gospel reading: 

Season of Creation - September 1 to October 4

The Season of Creation is a special time in the Church calendar when Christians around the world come together to renew our relationship with God’s creation. Beginning on 1 September (World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation) and ending on 4 October (the Feast of St Francis of Assisi), this season calls us to reflect, pray and act for our common home.

This year’s theme invites us to care for the Earth by making small but meaningful changes in our daily lives. As a family, you might:

• Take time to pray together outdoors, giving thanks for creation.

• Reduce waste by recycling or choosing reusable containers.

• Spend time in nature as a family—go for a walk, visit a park, or plant something at home.

• Talk with your children about how simple choices can protect the environment.

Together, these actions help us live our faith and pass on a spirit of care and respect for creation.

Catholic Mission Month 

October is World Mission Month, a special time in the Church when we come together to celebrate and support the important work of Catholic Mission across the world. Each year, schools and parishes in Australia join with communities everywhere to learn about, pray for, and raise awareness of people in need.

This year’s theme is “Missionaries of Hope Among All Peoples.” Our focus is on the people of Zambia, particularly in the Diocese of Mpika, where Catholic Mission is helping communities respond to challenges like hunger and food security through education and sustainable farming programs. By standing in solidarity with them, we help bring hope and practical support to families.

Throughout October, our school will be learning more about this mission focus and finding ways to pray and act together. We thank you for supporting your children in developing a spirit of generosity, compassion and global awareness.

Our school will celebrate with a Catholic Mission Month liturgy on Monday 20 October at 9am. On this day, our students will also participate in Crazy Sock Day, raising funds for the people of Zambia.

Sacrament of Holy Communion

Thank you to all of the families who returned their enrolment forms for First Holy Communion so promptly. For those families enrolled, please check your email as you will receive a booking code and form in the coming days. 

A big thank you to our Parish Office for their time and organisation in preparing and planning all of this for our students and their families. 

We look forward to celebrating this wonderful occasion together. 

Please note that our First Holy Communion Retreat for those students receiving the Sacrament, will take place on Thursday 16 October. 

Libbie Tyrrell

Acting Religious Education Coordinator 

In a recent survey, we asked parents for feedback on two recent initiatives within our school: Seesaw Sharing & Weekly Gospel reflections.

We had 39 responses. Please find the feedback below:

Thursday 25th September is Footy Colours Day at St Columbkille's Primary School.

Today students wore their favourite footy or other sporting jersey for a gold coin donation. Together we raised $341.15

Thank you for your generosity. It does not go unnoticed. 

Representative Sporting Pathway 2026 - Year 5 + 6 students in 2026 only

The representative nominations for 2026 sporting pathways are now open. Please see the attached note, including sport-specific details.

Some of these trials for 2026 teams commence in Term 4 2025, therefore it is important that nominations are completed now. Nominations due Friday, 17 October 2025. (Cricket due Monday, 13 October 2025). 

On Tuesday, four of our Year 6 students proudly represented our school at the @CEDoW STEM MAD Showcase, held as part of Innovate for Impact at the Innovation Campus in Wollongong.

They joined more than 200 students from Catholic and NSW public schools to present the innovative projects they’ve been developing over the past few months. Each project was created with one goal in mind: to “Make a Difference” in the world.

For more than three hours, our students confidently pitched their ideas to judges and members of the public. We are incredibly proud of their creativity, commitment and the way they represented our school with such enthusiasm and professionalism.

Woodfest has 6 x woodworking workshops specially for Children aged 8 - 14 years. Woodfest. is a family oriented event that has been in existence since 2017 and we are a local family.