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- Principal Message
- Religious Education
- Spiritual Reflection - A Mother’s Gaze
- Congratulations - Atkinson and Dincsoy Families
- Da Vinci Decathlon
- SCC Sport
- PB4L Focus
- Volunteers Needed- Book Covering
- Library News
- Anzac Day March and Dawn Service
- NAPLAN - Year 3 and Year 5
- SCC School Band
- P&F Fundraiser: Colour Run and Slime Splatacular - Friday 20 May
- Healthy Kids Association - The Big Vegie Crunch Prize Winner
- Reminder - No Dogs or Pets on School Grounds
- Doctor Clearance for Injuries
- Winter Uniform Commences
- St Columbkille's 2023 Enrolments
- The Illawarra Disability Options Expo – Making Connections with Community Supports
- Holy Spirit College Enrolments Year 7 2024
- St Columbkille's and St Joseph Parish Bulletin
- Be Bus Aware - Transport for NSW
Dear Parents and Carers,
Hope that you are well and looking forward to a sensational Mother's Day weekend.
It was wonderful to see our school community come together yesterday to celebrate Mother’s Day. Over 200 mums, dads, grandmothers and aunts gathered in the MD Hall to acknowledge our wonderful mothers. There many people to thank you making the day so enjoyable and successful. This include;
- Caroline Ayres and her team Nicky Bishop, Paul Ayers, Sarah Foster, Mary Munn, along with the support team for organising and operating another successful Mother's Day stall
- P&F President Nicky Bishop and her committee for co-funding the beautiful luncheon
- Erryn Sim and Caroline Ayers for the outstanding Mother’s Day Gift - Mum Rocks
- Ashley Copper, Liz Shaw Kylie Galaxidis, Julie Windisch for your reflection and readings about mothers
- SCC staff Mrs Herring, Ms Finlay-Joseph, Mrs Disibio, Mrs Pascoe and Ms Caires for their work in organising the Liturgy and luncheon.
Thank you again to all involved - your time, effort, energy and support effort is greatly appreciated and made the day such a special one.
On Sunday, we celebrate the gift of our mums through Mother's Day. We say ‘Thank you’ to our mothers and all of those women in our lives who nurture, care, support, teach and love us. Our best wishes go out to all our mothers celebrating Mother’s Day this Sunday. Enjoy.
PRAYER FOR MOTHERS
Dear Lord,
I may not pray often, and I may not pray enough, but when I do, this is all I ask of you. God, please give me a heart just like hers.
She loves unconditionally, no matter what, no matter who. God, give me courage to be like her.
She is very brave, she makes me unafraid. God, give me wisdom just like hers.
She knows everything, big and small, she is there to help me through it all. God, give me strength just like hers
She has been knocked down, yet she stands strong for another round. God, give me beauty just like hers
When she smiles it gives me that feeling that everything will be okay and my problems disappear for a while. God, give me generosity just like hers
She helps the helpless, she never thinks of herself and she is so unselfish. God, some day, if I am at least half the mum she was to me,
I will know that you were listening on the day that I prayed.
Amen.
We welcome to our St Columbkille's, Ms Enia Caires as our new Senior School Support Officer. She was previously work as the Student Management Officer at the University of Wollongong and a teacher within the Diocese of Wollongong. She holds Bachelor Degree in Psychology, a Graduate Diploma in Education (Primary) and a Master of Education from the University of Wollongong. We look for working with Enia and supporting her within our school community.
This week, as a school community we have experienced great joy and sadness. On Monday, we received the devastating news that Mrs Tyrrell's sister, Marika passed away unexpectedly. This tragic loss has had a profound impact on the Tyrrell and La Riva families and our staff. Please remember Libbie and her family in your times of prayer. Marika's funeral will be held Thursday 12 May at St Francis Xavier Cathedral, Wollongong from 11am.
Please continue to keep in your thoughts and prayers Sean, Emer, Conor, Brendan, and Emily Spiers. Krista's funeral was held on Monday 2 May at St Michael's Thirroul. Thank you to the many families and staff that attended and have supported the Spiers family during this most challenging time.
On Wednesday Mrs Disibio and myself started our Kinder 2023 interviews. It has been privilege to meet our new families that would like to be part of our school community and connecting with our existing parents and their children. These interviews will continue over the next 3 weeks.
Mr and Mrs Lattimore are absolutely thrilled to announce the birth of Salvador Lattimore on Wednesday 4 May. Born at 10:52 weighing 4.19 kilos (9.3 pounds). We wish Tom and Kiara all the best in their role of parents and we know that Salvador will bring them much love and many memories to cherish. Congratulations Tom and Kiara.
Enjoy your weekend and Happy Mother's Day to all our mums and grandparents on Sunday.
Take care
Mr Brad Colquhoun - Principal
Mother’s Day Liturgy & Luncheon
Yesterday we were blessed as a community to celebrate Mother’s Day, after two years of COVID. It certainly was a meaningful occasion as we prayed, listened to mums and their children, and watched a beautiful slideshow or we should say ‘mini-movie’. Thank you to those who helped with our liturgy especially Ms Finlay-Joseph for her expertise with the performance and slideshow, and all those who helped in organising the beautiful bookmarks our mums received. To the P&F for their gifts and to those who helped organize today’s luncheon, thank you. Finally, a huge thank you to our guest speakers who played a special part in our celebration with their thoughts and memories- Liz Shaw and her children Lola, Darcy and Henry, and Ashley Cooper and her children Ava and Ashton. We hope that you all have a wonderful day on Sunday spent with loved ones. Enjoy being spoilt.
Confirmation
Booklets have been given out at school and Google classroom should now be up and running. Please note the login code is r2oov6l (the final letter is an l not the number 1). Parents are encouraged to work alongside their child to complete the lessons/sessions and inside the booklet, on the left-hand side of the page are “Parent Notes” to help guide you. For all enquiries please email: bcpsp.20@gmail.com. These booklets are to be returned at the retreat afternoon on Thursday 9 June.
International Day of Families
May 15 of every year is observed as the International Day of Families. There are many reasons why families are so important in our lives, and why we are thankful for being a part of them. On this day especially, we pray for families worldwide, especially those who are living in war torn Ukraine.
Reconciliation Week Celebration
On Thursday 19 May our school community will join together in the Monsignor Downey Hall to celebrate National Reconciliation Week. Our Indigenous students will play a major role in these festivities as they will perform a play titled Gang-Man-Gang. Aunty Shaz from the CEO will also join us on this day. National Reconciliation Week—27 May to 3 June—is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia.
Project Compassion
Thank you to everyone in our school community who donated to our Project Compassion boxes this year. A total of $387.50 was raised which is a massive effort. Your generosity will go towards the Caritas programme which supports many communities world-wide.
‘A world that looks to the future without a mother’s gaze is shortsighted.’ Pope Francis, January 2019
The intricate art of mothering is fulfilled by many in our midst: mothers, grandmothers, great-grandmothers, aunts, foster mothers, some fathers and ‘mother figures’ in our lives. We turn to them for unconditional love, comfort and hope. Mothering is intrinsically the work of the heart - an outpouring of love that finds its way to us when we need it most.
Over the past two years, the unfolding challenges have highlighted our yearning for the unique qualities that only our mother's gaze brings. It is our mothers we turn to for solace, support and guidance.
Images of mothers around the globe, across our nation and within our very own communities have reminded us of these gifts in the most pronounced ways. We witnessed mothers driving children to safety; sitting on ash covered beaches singing songs of comfort to their children and assisting in crisis centres during the bushfires. We observed mothers navigating their way through two years of a global pandemic, doing their utmost to keep their family safe; juggling homeschooling and work, walking through their neighbourhoods with their children hunting for teddy bears and meeting newly born grandchildren via facetime. In recent weeks we have seen mothers during the flood crisis sitting on rooftops consoling their children as they await rescue; leading the clean up of the homes in their local areas and giving support to the most vulnerable members of our community.
Collectively, we bear witness to the heroic nature of mothers and their ability to read the needs of their children in the spirit of selflessness, pragmatism, humility and enduring love.
During this time of reflection and celebration of mothers, we turn our gaze to the ultimate role model of motherhood – Mary.
A mother of the deepest love and boundless bravery who dared to say ‘yes’ to God. As a young mother, Mary found herself in a deeply challenging situation as she and her family fled Israel as refugees, with the very real fear that their young son would be killed. One can only imagine the inner strength that Mary would have summoned to make her journey across the desert with her newborn in tow.
In recent weeks we have observed the plight of refugee mother’s yet again, highlighted by the recent conflict in Ukraine. Haunting images of mothers fleeing conflict with their children in the dead of night, giving birth in underground basements and smuggling their offspring across borders is a story as old as time. Mothers across the globe from near and far stand in solidarity with refugee mothers in the living hope that peace, civility and above all that love will conquer.
This artwork by artist Margherita Gallucci, invites us to view Mary through a contemporary lens.
She invites us to reflect as she writes:
“I felt in my heart the need to give an image of tribute to all the people who suffer marginalisation, war, hunger, despair, escape from their land, loneliness, illness... one day I looked at the images of African migrants who landed in Italy, who miraculously survived their escape into the sea, and shocking photos of all those people and children drowned in water. My heart got tight. The images of those people wrapped in emergency blankets reminded me of the Madonna of Loreto. We are inspired as nations, communities, and individuals, to see that those who come to our shores are our brothers and sisters. Let us share with them... share with them the blessings we have received, and recognise that together, as one human family, we are all migrants, journeying in hope to our true home, where every tear will be wiped away, where we will be at peace and safe in God’s embrace.”
Let us never underestimate the power of our Mother’s gaze, especially in times of uncertainty.
Congratulations to the Dincsoy family who have welcomed a new son named Archer into their family. We wish Ellisa, Adem and Ebony(KB) and baby Archer every happiness moving into the future.
'You are loved for the baby boy you are, the man you will become and the precious son you will always be'.
The Atkinson's have recently welcomed their new daughter, Mave to their family. Congratulations to Victoria, Paul and Floerence (1B) on their new addition to their Atkinson's family. All the very best.
'Your Baby Girl is a blessing from heaven, usher her with love and care! May God bless you all and help you whenever you seek it from!'.
On Wednesday the 4th May, a team of students from Year 5 and Year 6 participated in the Da Vinci Decathlon, at the Illawarra Christian School. Congratulations to our Year 5 team for coming 1st in Creative Producers and our Year 6 Team for placing first in Science. It was a very competitive day and we are extremely proud of our students.
Mrs Bethany Tirchett - Leader of Enrichment
On Friday 29th April, the following students travelled to St Gregorys College Campbelltown to participate in a Rugby Union 10 a side knockout: Ryder Bighetti, Isaac Tasca, Nate Russell, Aiden Heaton, Riley smith, Preston Park, Ashton Cooper, Koby Potter, Zac Rosengren. In a very tight match, St Gregorys defeated St Columbkilles by 3 tries to 2. A really great game, showcasing the boys rugby skills. This knockout also incorporated the Diocesan Rugby Union Trials for 2022. Congratulations to the following students who were successful in being selected for the Wollongong Diocesan Rugby Union Team: Isaac Tasca, Ryder Bighetti and Nate Russell. Aiden Heaton was selected as a shadow player. Well done to all the boys in the knockout and selection trials.
Cross Country Postponement
Unfortunately due to the wet conditions of the Nowra course, the Diocesan Cross Country has been postponed until Tuesday 24th May. More time for training St Columbkilles!
Week 2 Focus: Show reverence during prayer, Liturgy and Mass
At St Columbkille’s we strive to continually support and improve academic and social outcomes for our students utilising the PB4L (Positive, Behaviours for Learning) framework. This week the PB4L focus is on showing reverence during prayer, Liturgy and Mass where the school’s core values Respectful, Responsible and Safe can be practised and observed.
When visiting the Church, students should....
Thank you to all the students and families that joined us in commemorating and taking part in the Anzac Day March and Dawn Service at Anzac Grove Corrimal. Bronte Fursey read the Prayer for the Queen perfectly and Tobias Fielding and Cameron Ritz laid the wreath on behalf of our school community. All the students showed great reverence and respect throughout the march and service.
Mrs Maria Disibio - Assistant Principal
Years 3 and 5 will be sitting the annual National Assessment Program- Numeracy and Literacy (NAPLAN). At St Columbkille's we will sit the tests from Tuesday 10 May through to Friday 13 May. (see school calendar for times and tests). The NAPLAN tests are another oppportunity to gather data about our students' learning for both our teachers and parents.
It is vital that both Year 3 and Year 5 students have headphones at school to use during the tests and Year 5 students must have the NAP Lockdown App installed and ensure the App is updated.
You may like to visit the NAPLAN Public Demonstration page which will allow you and/or your child to experience the assessments.
Should you have any questions about the assessment please speak with your child's class teacher or Stage Middle Leader.
Maria Disibio - Assistant Principal
We would like to afford our musical students to be part of the Cobra School Band, hence we are asking for a volenteer or two, parent, grandparent, older sibbling or friend to practice with the Cobra Band weekly or fornightly. The Cobra Band will play each fortnight at the School Award Assembly.
If you are interested in volenteering and helping out our school comminuty in this manner, please email Mrs Disibio or Mr Colquhoun.
Thanks in advance!
We are pleased to inform you that St Columbkille's Catholic Primary School, Corrimal had the most engagement on their social media post in the large schools category. Well done!
This means our school is a winner of 1 x Vegepod gift voucher worth $400. Congratulations!
Thank you to all who participated in the Big Veggie Crunch and to Mrs Smyth for her organisation of the event.
A reminder to all families and community members that dogs are not permitted on any of our school grounds unless they are assistance dogs. We have a student in our school that has an Anaphylaxtic reaction to dog fur/hair, hence this is for their safety and for the safety of all our community.
If your child has a broken bone or a significant injury that may impact their learning and/or mobility, it is essentail that the school is given a medical certificate and/or Doctor’s clearance letter upon their return to school. We need this certificate and/or clearance for your child to be at school and hence it needs to be supplied on the day of return to school. This certificate and/or clearance allows us to adjust the curriculum to suit your child’s needs and if required, assign a school support officer to your child, all considering the well being and safety of your child.
Mrs Pauline Leonard - Leader of Diverse Learning
All students are expected to wear the full winter school uniform from Monday 23 May. If you have any concerns regarding the winter uniform, please contact the office.
Link to uniform policy and information.
The annual Illawarra Disability Options Expo will take place on Thursday, 26 May 2022 from 11 am to 4 pm at the Fraternity Club, 11 Bourke Street, Fairy Meadow.
The Expo helps link people with a disability and their carers to over 70 product and service providers. In addition to displays and information desks, the Expo will feature an NDIS information session (10.30 am - 11.30 am).
Both the Catholic Education Office and CatholicCare will be represented at the Expo.
Drivers should look out for children who are crossing the road or waiting to cross. Lights flash on buses to warn motorists that buses are picking up and dropping off children. By law, a driver must not overtake or pass a bus with flashing lights at more than 40km/h.
Lights begin to flash when the bus stops and the doors open, and they keep flashing for about 20 seconds after the doors close. Children are most at risk in the minutes after they get off the bus.
Young children are often unpredictable in their movements. They are still developing the skills that help them to judge the direction of sound and the speed and distance of vehicles.
We know that because of their sheer size and mass, buses can cause severe outcomes for other road users in crashes. Motorists can help reduce the risk of a crash and keep children safe by:
- Slowing down to 40km/h when bus lights are flashing
- Looking out for children crossing the road near bus stops, in school zones or along bus routes
- Giving way to buses when they merge back into traffic.