Dear Parents and Carers,

Hope that you have enjoyed an outstanding couple of weeks.

Today we celebrated with 11 of our students the first Principal's Lunch in the MD Hall. Over the past 5 weeks, students have received raffles tickets for following our Positive Behaviour for Learning (PB4L) expectations of being Respectful, Responsible and Safe on the playground and across specialist lessons that include Music, Dance/Drama, Italian and Physical Education. Congratulations to the following students whose names (see below) were drawn on Monday. We look forward to the next luncheon in Week 10.

Congratulations once again to the following students: Madison Stone, Willian Bui, Mia Akhurst, James Andary, Sophie Willoughby, Isabella Oliver, Niceisha Manago, Alex Baumeister, Jasmine Whiddon, Massimo Casarotto and Scarlett Raschilla.

In relation to our SCC COVID-19 updates directives and protocols, your continued support in the following areas is much appreciated:

• Morning arrival: parents not permitted on the Front Cement (unless they have Principal's permission) and are asked to leave the school site once their child/ren have safely entered the school gates.
• Afternoon dismissal: 1.5m social distancing and once chid/ren have been collected, promptly leaving the school site.

Thank you for your onging efforts in helping us adhere to current COVID-19 proceduures in the interest of our school community.

Wishing you all the very best over the next 2 weeks. Enjoy your family and friends. Keep safe.

Take care, 

Brad Colquhoun

Principal

Weekend Masses

Don’t forget to register for Mass on Saturday at 6pm and Sunday at 9.30am as St Columbkille’s can hold only 40 people. The office number is 42843000 and is open from Monday to Thursday 9:30 to 3pm. Please ring if you cannot attend, so others may take your place. Parishioners are asked to please wear a mask to all Masses. Also, if you would like the bulletin emailed to you please call the office on 42843000.

Father Patrick is most thankful for the contributions to St Columbkille’s Parish and understands how generous our community is. He has asked for those who would like to be a reader or monitor at Mass to be placed on the new roster. We especially need two families for next weekend’s Masses. If you can help, please let myself or the office know. We welcome Fr Richard Healy and appreciate his help in the Northern Parishes over the coming weeks.

Social Justice Sunday

This Sunday 30 August we celebrate Social Justice Sunday under the theme “Live Life to the Full: Mental Health in Australia Today”. The COVID-19 pandemic is impacting the mental health of many members of our parishes, schools, and communities. In fact, most of us will experience a mental health problem at some point over the course of our lives. Understanding mental health will help us to be aware of those who need our support. Our parishes, organisations and communities can be places of acceptance, care and healing, not places of rejection, judgment or stigma. The Bishops invite us all to reject stigmatisation, to work for the transformation of social determinants of mental ill-health, and to call for policies and service provision that meets the needs of the poorest and most marginalised members of our community. The statement, aimed at inspiring reflection and action for the following 12 months, is now available as a free download at the Social Justice Website – www.socialjustice.catholic.org.au 

The World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation is held each year on the 1 September.

This day marks the beginning of the Season of Creation, an annual event that encourages prayer and action for our common home which runs from 1 September through to 4 October. In recent years, thousands of Catholics on six continents have organised local activities to celebrate the Season of Creation. In 2019, Pope Francis issued the first-ever papal statement on the season. In 2020 the theme is “Jubilee for the Earth”.

The celebration of the Season of Creation is especially relevant this year, in the light of the coronavirus pandemic. The Dicastery for Integral Human Development is currently engaged in work to develop a comprehensive response to the pandemic, addressing both the immediate needs of those who suffer today and the long-term need to create more just societies. As Pope Francis said during his General Audience of 22 April 2020, on the fiftieth Earth Day: “As the tragic coronavirus pandemic has taught us, we can overcome global challenges only by showing solidarity with one another and embracing the most vulnerable in our midst”.

On Tuesday 1 September St Columbkille’s School will join together for a Zoom prayer service to recognise this event.

Father’s Day

On Sunday 6 September we celebrate all those with a father’s influence in our lives (dads grandads, uncles, pops, etc). Mrs Moon, our librarian, will be setting up a photo display of the students’ father figures in our library. Unfortunately, we cannot have our annual liturgy and barbecue breakfast due to COVID restrictions, but a prayer recording by Emily Sharman and Zara Srbinoski in Year 6, will be made and shared to social media. Our school will also hold a Zoom liturgy next Friday. Please keep these male figures in your prayers each day, but especially on Sunday.

RIPPLES PODCAST

This week's Episode features Fr Laurence Freeman. He is a Benedictine monk, a spiritual guide and the Director of the World Community for Christian Meditation. This Episode is a Zoom conversation as he is based in Bonnevaux, a new retreat centre in south-west France. In this first Episode Laurence explores the practice and gifts of Christian Meditation. Part 2 of the conversation will be shared later where Fr Freeman speaks about the need for us to create a contemplative society, particularly in our world today. The Meditation is an experience of Christian Meditation and is entitled "Prayer of the Heart." 

PODCAST LINKS: 

LINK TO PODBEAN: https://ripples.dow.catholic.edu.au

APPLE PODCAST LINK: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ripples/id1511337808 

LINK via CEDoW Learning Continuity Site: 

PARENTS: https://sites.google.com/dow.catholic.edu.au/clem-spiritual-formation/spiritual-formation/parents

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/CathEd.DoW/videos/649600145674930/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/p/CEV65G0g0M-/

Twitter - https://twitter.com/CathEd_DoW/status/1298500935610556417

Mrs Joanne Herring

Religious Education Coordinator

Congratulations to the following students:

Principal's Awards

1B - Keira Fabon, Mackenzie Sims

1G - Noah Akhurst, James Andary, Juliette Ayres, Matthew Bertacco, Lachlan Donachy, Kai Fletcher, Daniel Fleury, Amity Fuller, Darcy Fursey, Maxx Hancock, Stella Howell, Bronte Jansen, Flynn Karhoff, Reece King, Zali Mayo, Mia McCormack, Elodie McLuskey, Milla Piacentin, Bianca Pires, Sam Raschilla, Theia Vincent, Sophie Windisch

2B - Georgia Allman, Kade Bloom, Aidan Conway, Sophie Coughlan, Taj Cox, Dylan Fang, Tillee Harris, Haize Humphries, Bryson Nutschnig, Scarlett Raschilla, Eden Saweris x 2

2G - Chloe Copson, Eoin Vaughan

3B - Natalie Harris

4B - Lauren Miller

4G - Harper Briscoe-Hough, Lauren Foster, Levi Saweris, Emily Spiers

6G - Liam Pleace, Emily Sharman

St Mary of the Cross MacKillop Award

1G - Mia McCormack

3B - Ethan Akhurst, Willow Russell, John Tadros

3G - Alexander Mamouris

4B - Riley Smith

4G - Lauren Foster x 2, Nate Russell

5B - Marcus Saveski x 2

5G - Sophia Gualtieri

6G - Billy Collyer

School Medallion 

4G - Nate Russell, Emily Spiers

6B - Harper Fursey, Luca Tortorici

'We can't help everyone, but everyone can help someone'

Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) Australia, has launched a national emergency appeal for Lebanon, requesting prayers for victims and their families, and raising funds in the wake of the horrific explosion in Beirut on Tuesday 4 August. This organisation has been endorsed by the Catholic Education Diocese of Wollongong and aims to support the many people affected both in Beirut and internationally by this tragic event.  For further information, please refer to the link below.

https://aidtochurch.org/Lebanon

Unfortunately, due to COVID-19 restrictions, we are unable to hold a Father’s Day stall this year. The P&F however, have decided to still organise a Father’s Day raffle.

• Due to many families being impacted by COVID-19, there is no cost to enter the raffle.

• Every school family will go into the draw to win a prize

• The raffle will be drawn on Friday 4 September

• Prizes will be sent home that day with children of the winning families.

Thank you to the P&F and the organisation of Caroline Ayers for providing an opportunity for lucky families to take home a prize for their dad's, grandfathers or father figures.  It will certainly make someone's day.  

The transition into Summer Uniform will commence from Monday 31 August.  All students should be wearing their Summer Uniform by the following week - Monday 7 September. (Week 8)  Please refer school uniform is outlined in the link below. If you have any concerns about wearing the correct uniform, please contact your child/ren's teacher.

Uniform Policy Link: https://www.sccdow.catholic.edu.au/parents/uniform/

Our Footy Colours Day event helps children with cancer, who are especially vulnerable to COVID-19, keep up with school while they receive and recover from treatment.

On Friday 18 September, students are to wear their favourite Rugby League/AFL/Soccer jersey or wear an item of clothing with the colours of your favourite team and donanate a gold coin donation.

The money we raise, funds Fight Cancer Foundation’s education support programs, which operate in major Paediatric Hospitals across the country. They ensure no child falls behind or disengages from school as a result of their cancer diagnosis. Our support is needed, this year more than ever, to continue to fund the special programs.

Thank you for your support.

Mrs Pauline Leonard.

Middle Leader One

Dr Adam Fraser is a peak performance researcher who helps people strive to achieve better performance in everything they do.  Plaese find below a link to Dr Adam Fraser's  - Guiding Children Through Struggle and Discomfort.

https://www.dradamfraser.com/parents-education-event-recording-august-2020

Earth Overshoot Day is the day when humans will have collectively consumed the Earth's resources for the year. 

Churches and Schools all over Australia are invited to mark this solemn milestone on FRIDAY 21 AUGUST shortly before midday by tolling their bells, lighting a candle and/or hold a prayer service. 

 

Why do we need to change our attitudes and behaviour?
These unfolding climate and ecological crises – and COVID-19 – are tragic warning signs of our broken relationship with God’s Creation and our loss of understanding of our interrelationship with all living things and the physical environment that enables life. Australians are some of the biggest contributors to this problem: if everyone behaved like us, humanity would consume the equivalent of over 4 Earths each year!