Dear Parents and Carers,

Hope that you are well and have enjoyed a sensational Week 7 and 8.

Since 1904, St Columbkille's has supported the Corrimal community by delivering quality care and learning through the lens of our Catholic faith. Yesterday, we acknowledged the Feast Day of our Patron Saint -  St Columba. As a school community, we  will celebrate St Columba Day on Friday 18 June, which will include the St Columbkille's Liturgy and awards, P&F supported BBQ for our students and activities day. 

Over the weekend we celebrated our‘ 'Family Mass’ on Saturday evening and Sunday morning. Isaac Ayers, Chloe Nightingale, Jensen Curbison (Year 6) and Keira Fabon (Year 2) did an outstanding job in reading during the Mass. Thank you to our staff and families that were able to attend. I look forward to seeing you at our next Family Mass.

Last week, we celebrated several events including  Reconciliation Week, St Vincent de Paul Winter Appeal (Mini Vinnies), Festa Della Repubblica, World Environment Day and Kinder Blue's class assembly. Thank you to the many staff who supported and organised these wonderful events and great experiences for our students.

Today, our Semester One reports have been published in Compass. It is a great opportunity to affirm the learning gains our students have made and focus on supporting areas of improvement moving into Semester Two. Thank you to our staff who have work tirelessly over several weeks in compiling and completing our student reports. Student Learning Conversations will take place in Weeks 9 and 10. Interview times can be made via Compass.

This evening and tomorrow night, many of our Year 6 students will be making their Confirmation with Bishop Brian and Father Patrick. Thank you to our Parish catechists, Mrs Herring, Mrs Tyrrell, Mrs Barrett and Mrs Gaffney for their support and work in preparing the candidates for this blessed sacrament.

Tomorrow is our Teacher Professional Planning Day - Connected  Wellbeing facilitated by Cameron Brown from Explore, Discover, Act. Guided themes will include: The Ecosystem Approach, More Than Just Happiness, Build Instead of Fix, Be the Change and Purpose Practices.

Father Patrick will be celebrating his 30 Year Anniversary Ordination with a dinner at The Fraternity, Fairy Meadow. It will be a wonderful opportunity to celebrate Fr Patrick’s ministry with our Parish and school community. If you woudl like to attend, details can be found below.  

Wishing you a safe, peaceful and relaxing long weekend. 

Take care

Mr Brad Colquhoun - Principal

Reconciliation Week

Another sacred week in our school calendar culminated in our own St Columbkille’s Reconciliation Walk within our school grounds. This was preceded by a blessing of the poles and smoking ceremony led by Aboriginal elder, Uncle Kev. A huge thank you to Mrs Liz Orphin for her preparation of this day and assisting the students when painting their pebbles for the sacred prayer space.

World Environment Day Liturgy

St Columbkille’s annual liturgy for World Environment Day was held last Friday. It was a wonderful celebration led by several staff. A special thanks to Ms Finlay-Joseph, Mrs Russo and Ms Emmett for making the liturgy so special. A huge thanks to the Year 6 Enviro Ninjas who read so well, and to Ms Marion Finlay (Sebastian’s mum in Year 1). It was a special occasion in which the students prayed reverently and were reminded of the importance of caring for God’s creation.

Family Mass

Last weekend we celebrated our ‘Family Masses’ with Father Patrick and the St Columbkille’s community.  A huge thank you to– Chloe Nightingale, Keira Fabon (and her mum Kerry), Isaac Ayers, Jensen Curbison (and his mum Alison) – who all did an outstanding job in reading during the Mass. Thank you to the staff and other families who were also able to celebrate with our parish community. Our next ‘Family Mass’ will be held on the 7th and 8th of August.

Feast of St Columba

Yesterday our school community recognised our patron saint, St Columba (Columbkille), with prayers read by our school captains at morning assembly, as well as other activities within their class/grade. We will celebrate as a whole community on Friday 18th June with our liturgy and picnic day, which will be held within the school grounds this year. It will be a solemn yet exciting day which we look forward to.

Confirmation

This evening and tomorrow evening at 7.30pm our Year 6 students will be confirmed by Bishop Brian. Thursday evening will be in St Columbkille’s Church and Friday in the Monsignor Downey Hall. We continue to keep in our prayers these students, and their families who have helped in preparing them to receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

NAIDOC Liturgy

St Columbkille’s will celebrate their annual NAIDOC Liturgy on Wednesday 23rd June at 12.15pm. Our St Columbkille’s school choir will perform at this annual event under the guidance of Ms Patton. We look forward to celebrating this sacred liturgy which recognises the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples of our country and celebrates their rich cultures and inspiring contributions to Australia.

I am writing to ask for your assistance in petitioning the New South Wales Government to reverse a decision to exclude faith and charitable groups from cemetery management.

Please find below the following:

1. A letter detailing the issue
2. An opinion piece from Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP on the matter published in The Australian on 27 May 2021

Save Our Graves Online Petition 

I give my support to Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP who has recently launched a Save Our Graves online petition to put pressure on the NSW Government to reverse its decision to exclude faith and charitable groups from the management of cemeteries in NSW that operate on Crown land. This also has the support of other faith leaders from the Muslim and Jewish communities.

The government’s decision is a serious attack on religious freedom and raises significant questions as to the appropriateness of handing over the management of cemeteries to a bureaucracy that has no experience in providing comfort to grieving families or the management of burial grounds. Caring for the dead and those who love them is a spiritual mission, not secular. Our faith teaches that it is one of our “corporal works of mercy” and this underpins the way we look after our cemeteries, which we have been doing for over 150 years.

An online petition page has been established at www.saveourgraves.com.au and you are encouraged to sign this petition and circulate it to your family and friends in NSW.

Bishop Brian Mascord

Eventbrite link for bookings 

Angolo Italiano

'Grazie mille' to all who participated in La Festa Della Repubblica Italiana on Wednesday the 2 June.  The stduents looked amazing in their Italian colours and clothing and they thoroughly enjoyed sampling the pizza from the Il Nido Pizza Truck.  Special thanks to Mrs Logue for her assiatnce, to Ms Patton for her flexibility and Italian slant on the Music lessons and 'salute' to Gulio, Adrian and Frank who worked making pizzas all day.

Signora Disibio - Leader of Languages - Italian

Futsal Competition

The U12 boys competed in the Eastern Suburbs/St George region Futsal competition at Hurstville last week. They won the first two games convincingly and were unlucky to lose the last two, in what were very exciting and evenly matched games. Having won the Campbelltown region competition means they progress to the State Finals in August, so this was a fantastic opportunity to practice their skills. Well done boys, you showed great talent and sportsmanship and you should be very proud.

Thank you to Mr Srbinoski for training the team and to Mr Vega and Mr Timpano for their support. 

Netball Gala Day

Next Tuesday 15th June a large number of students from Years 4 -6 will be attending the south Coast Netball Gala Day at Berkeley Netball Complex. We are still in need of parent managers for some teams (no experience necessary) and if you have experience umpiring, dust off your whistle and volunteer your services. If you are able to assist as either a team manager or umpire please contact Mrs Gaffney ASAP.

NSW Catholic Cross Country Championships at Eastern Creek

On Tuesday 8th June the following students competed at the NSW Catholic Primary Schools Cross Country at Eastern Creek:Bailey Mitchell, Amelia Rutledge (Year 5), Hamish Dorney (Year 6) and Harrison Esteves (Year 3)

All students ran an outstanding race and were great ambassadors for St Columbkilles. Bailey Mitchell placed 6th and Hamish placed 2nd, which means they have both qualified for the NSWPSSA All Schools Cross Country. Well done to all four competitors.The Wollongong Diocese won team gold medals in the  MacKillop 11 year boys - Bailey  and MacKillop 12/13 year boys - Hamish. 

St Columbkilles Athletics Carnival

Just a reminder to parents and carers that our annual school athletics carnival is on Tuesday 13th July (Term 3) at Beaton Park Athletic Track. Students from Holy Spirit College will be assisting on the day and a number of parent helpers have volunteered. Always a great day for our school community.

Mrs Colleen Kipp - Leader of Sport

TOMORROW - Staff Development Day: Pupil Free Day Friday 11 June

On Tuesday the 1st of June, the Mini Vinnies organised a scarf and beanie day to promote donations for the St Vincent de Paul Society. St Columbkille's were extremely generous, with all students making contributions to their classroom baskets. I would like to thank all staff and students who contributed to the Winter Appeal. The baskets will remain in classrooms till the end of Week 9 and further donations can be made.

Thank you.

Mrs Tirchett - Minni Vines Leader 

This year, St Columbkille’s will again participate in the UNSW ICAS Assessments. These are offered to students in Year 3, Year 4, Year 5 and Year 6. 

The assessments which will be offered include:

• English
• Mathematics
• Science
• Digital Technologies
• Writing
• Spelling Bee 

If you’d like to enrol your child/ren, please see the parent letter which was sent via Compass on May 25. This will provide you will all of the details that you’ll require. 

Mrs Libbie Tyrrell - Instructional Coach and Middle Leader

Thank you to those students who have been wearing the St Columbkille's winter uniform with pride.  A friendly reminder that:

• shirts must be worn tucked in
• only the navy jacket is to be worn with the winter uniform
• girls wearing the navy pants and buckle shoes are asked to wear navy socks or tights

Addional uniform items can be purchsed at Poppets, ont he Facebook Uniform page or from the school second hand cupboard.  

St Columbkille's Student Express - Issue 2

RECONCILIATION WEEK

Reconciliation Australia’s theme for 2021, More than a word. Reconciliation takes action, urges the reconciliation movement towards braver and more action.

For reconciliation to be effective, it must involve truth-telling, and actively address issues of inequality, systemic racism and instances where the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are ignored, denied or reduced.

While we see greater support for reconciliation from the Australian people than ever before, we must be more determined than ever if we are to achieve the goals of the movement — a just, equitable, reconciled Australia.

Reporter Livina McLuskey

OUR ENVIRONMENT IS IMPORTANT

At St. Columbkilles we work hard to be Trash Free. We have Fogo bins one per class. How much do you know about the process?  Here  is what happens. The small bins are emptied into the medium that is on the playground and then also those bins get emptied into the Fogo truck that dumps the scraps out to landfill and over night it gets scattered into different places to make compost and that’s how it works.

Reporter Indira Lozenkovski

SPORT - State of Origin

State of Origin happens once a year. There are three games of Rugby League. The two teams are New South Wales (Blues) and Queensland (Maroons). The Blues coach is Brad Fittler, he is a really good coach. The  Maroons coach is  Paul Green. There are 17 players on a team and 13 on the  field. Game 1 was held Townsville, Queensland last night. The score was 50 - 6 to the Blues. Game 2 will be in two weeks at Surcorp Stadium in Brisbane.

Reporter Ben Niew

Holy Spirit College will be hosting a zoom parent information evening by Paul Dillon. “Teens alcohol and other drugs. What do parents in a post Covid-19 world need to know” Holy Spirit College in collaboration with the College’s Parents & Friends would like to invite Year 6 parents (only) and staff to attend this zoom parent information evening.

Details: 19 July 7-8.30pm

The link to the presentation will be sent closer to the date.

A summary is below.

Teens, alcohol and other drugs: What do parents in a post-COVID-19 world need to know?During adolescence, teens develop a biological need to be around friends and research strongly suggests that they should be provided opportunities to socialise with their peers whenever possible. Under the COVID-19 ‘social distancing’ restrictions parents have been asked to try to restrict these face-to-face interactions. This presentation will examine how teens have adapted to the current situation and discuss some of the risks, as well as potential benefits of teens living in ‘isolation’. Most importantly, as the restrictions are gradually ‘rolled back’ over the months ahead, how should parents respond? Socialising, in all its forms, is going to look different for some time to come but underage drinking will inevitably play a role in many teen parties and gatherings. To assist parents to navigate through a post COVID-19 world some simple tips will also be provided to help ensure teens are able to interact with friends on a Saturday night and, at the same time, reduce the risk of underage drinking and the potential dangers associated with such behaviour.

Men's Health Week works on the understanding that the best people to improve men's health in Australia are those who live, work and play alongside men and boys in communities around the country.

To support their efforts to engage with men and boys, the Men's Health Week website(see link below)provides tools and functionality that promotes their events and provides clear contact details so that interested people can find out what is happening and who to talk to.

Men's Health Week link - http://www.menshealthweek.org.au