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- Principal's Message
- Religious Education
- Spiritual Reflection - Get Up! Stand Up! Show Up!
- St Vincent de Paul Winter Appeal
- Angolo Italiano
- SCC Sport
- ICAS Assessments
- Cake Stall - Year 6 Graduation Fundraiser
- Guided Reading Resources
- Canberra Excursion - Year 5
- Term 3 Commences - Monday 18 July
- Parent-School Partnership Framework
- Parish Bulletin
- Student Extended Leave from School
- School Photo Information
- Lost Property
- PlaySpace Music Drama Education - Enrol now for PlaySpace Drama, Semester Two
- AFL Holiday Program Flyer
- Sydney Football Club Winter Holiday Clinics
Dear Parents and Carers,
Hope that you are well.
We have enjoyed a sensational Term 2 at St Columbkille's, with the opportunity to celebrate, participate and compete in a diverse range of activities and events. Thank you to our staff, parents and grandparents for their dedication, flexibility and support of our wonderful school community.
Gratitude and generosity within a school community should never be taken for granted. We are extremely fortunate to have such giving, caring and motivated team of students, staff, parents, and grandparents that support each other and those in need outside of SCC. Congratulations to Mrs Tirchett and the Mini Vinnies for not only raising $390 for the Vinnies Winter Appeal, but also organising the numerous donations of baked beans and soup cans for the many people who are currently experiencing extreme challenges and hardship within the Corrimal community. Corrimal St Vincent de Paul President, Mr Peter Riordan was extremely grateful and humbled by our continued support and generosity.
National NAIDOC Week celebrations are held across Australia in the first week of July each year (Sunday to Sunday), to celebrate and recognise the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. NAIDOC Week is an opportunity for all Australians to learn about First Nations cultures and histories and participate in celebrations of the oldest, continuous living cultures on earth. The theme for 2022 is Get Up! Stand Up! Show Up!, a time to celebrate the many who have driven and led change in our communities over generations—they have been the heroes and champions of change, of equal rights and even basic human rights.
Kindergarten 2023, Letters of Offer have been sent to prospective families, both current and new. We look forward to welcoming these families into our school community with a 'Welcome and Orientation Meeting' in the MD Hall on Monday 24 October. This will be followed by the first of our eight 'Transition to School Program' sessions beginning the following week on Monday 31 October.
This Sunday at 9:30am is our K-6 Family Mass. It would be wonderful to celebrate Mass together as a school and parish community as we move into the end of term holidays. A special morning tea will be provided by our parish.
Wishing you a safe and enjoyable school break with family and friends. Thank you once again for your work, support and dedication to St Columbkille's.
Looking forward to seeing our SCC coming back together on Monday 18 July for the start of Term 3.
Take care.
Mr Brad Colquhoun (Principal)
ABORIGINAL & TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER SUNDAY 3rd July
Every year, on the first Sunday in July, Catholics come together across Australia to acknowledge and celebrate the gifts of Australia’s First Peoples in the Catholic Church. On this day, we acknowledge that God has been walking with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, making His Presence known through a continuous living culture over many thousands of years. For interesting information about First Nations people and the Catholic Church go to http://www.natsicc.org.au/assets/natsicc_a4-booklet_digital.pdf
NAIDOC’s theme this year is ‘Get up, Stand up, Show up’. Labourers for the harvest of the Lord do exactly that – they labour or work for the Lord, and that can take the form of getting up and being active. There is much we can do as Christian people to address issues that affect our First Nations sisters and brothers. Bishop Tim Norton SVD Auxilary Bishop – Archdiocese of Brisbane
FAMILY/PARISH MASS SUNDAY 3rd JULY
Don’t forget to join us on Sunday morning at 9.30am for our combined Family and Parish Mass. Thank you to those who have offered to help out in some way, and please remember to bring a plate of food to share. The Infants playground (or hall if it is raining) will be open for students to use.
RELIGIOUS LITERACY ASSESSMENT- YEAR 4
This year our Year 4 students will again take part in the Diocesan Religious Literacy Assessment. (This has not happened in the past couple of years due to COVID-19). This year the test will be online and which means a practice test will take place on Wednesday 20th July, before the actual test is undertaken on Monday 1st August. Data received from this test aids in planning and programming within Religious Education across all grades. Parents also obtain information in regards to their child’s learning in RE.
NAIDOC WEEK CELEBRATIONS
St Columbkille’s will acknowledge this event after the holiday break. A celebration will be held on Friday 22nd July. More details will follow.
An excerpt from the CEDow communication newsletter reads…
As we celebrate NAIDOC in our communities may we demonstrate the willingness to “Get Up” and support our First Nations’ people in their walk towards greater justice, equity, and the proper recognition of their rights.
May we have the courage to “Stand Up” and acknowledge with pride and gratitude the faithful stewardship of this land by our First Nations peoples for over 65,000 years.
May we be steeled with the determination to “Show Up” so that this drive towards a fairer, more caring Australia for all will never “lose momentum for change.”
Have a safe and restful break!
Mrs Joanne Herring - Religious Education Coordinator
The theme that has been chosen by the National NAIDOC Committee to celebrate NAIDOC 2022 is Get Up! Stand Up! Show Up! It is a theme that is a call to action inviting all Australians to engage in the “ministry of reconciliation” where we work together to create a just, equitable and harmonious society, as together, we “Get Up! Stand Up! Show Up!” in support of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander sisters and brothers.
NAIDOC is a time for all Australians to join with our First Nations’ peoples in celebrating the achievements that together, our country has already made as we move into the future. It is a time to celebrate and acknowledge the rich traditions and cultural heritage that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples offer to our country. As St John Paul II in his Alice Springs Address reminded us, “We know that we will not be ‘fully the Church that Jesus wants’ us to be until Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have made their contribution to the life of the Church and ‘until that contribution has been joyfully received by others’ within the Church.” It is a sentiment that is echoed in the Framework for Motions for the Plenary Council which makes the following proposals for the Catholic Church in Australia:
- That the Catholic Church says sorry to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in and beyond the Church for the part played by the Church in the harms they have suffered;
- That the Catholic Church commits to continuing to work towards recognition and reconciliation;
- That the Catholic Church joyfully receives and accepts the recommendations contained in the NATSICC position paper “Embracing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in the Life of the Catholic Church;” and
- That the Catholic Church endorses the Uluru Statement from the Heart.
As we celebrate NAIDOC in our communities may we demonstrate the willingness to “Get Up!”and support our First Nations’ peoples in their walk towards greater justice, equity, and the proper recognition of their rights.
May we have the courage to “Stand Up!” and acknowledge with pride and gratitude the faithful stewardship of this land by our First Nations’ peoples for over 65,000 years.
May we be steeled with the determination to “Show Up!” so that this drive towards a fairer, more caring Australia for all will never “lose momentum for change.”
We pray…
God of The Dreaming, your Holy Spirit hovered over our land,
lovingly creating its people, animals, and landscapes.
Inspire all Australians to value this noble past,
working together to ensure a future of respect, dignity and justice for all who call Australia home.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Each year, St Vincent de Paul Society has its Winter Appeal. This year, our local Corrimal St Vincent de Paul asked that we donate canned goods to provide to those individuals and families in need. We were blown away by the generosity of our students /families and had over seven baskets of canned goods to donate.
On Wednesday 29th of June, we also had our Beanie and Scarf day to raise money for St Vincent de Paul. It was lovely to see so many students wear their items and we were fortunate enough to raise $390. This money will go directly to our Corrimal St Vincent de Paul.
Thank you for your support, of this wonderful initiative.
Mrs Bethany Tirchett - Middle Leader
I have thoroughly enjoyed teaching Italian with all the Blue classes from Kindergarten to Year 6 during Semester One (Term 1 & 2). In Term 2 Kinder, Year 1 and Year 2 looked at Il Tempo - The Weather, Year 3 and Year 4 focused on Il Trasporto - Transport and Year 5 and Year 6 discovered I Posti Belli - Beautiful Places.
I look forward to working with the Gold classes next semester.
If you would like to encourage your child to practice their Italian skills, the Languages Online App is a free download.
Signora Disibio - Leader of Languages - Italian
Diocesan Rugby Union
Mrs Jennifer Gaffney - Leader of Sport
More information will be sent out via COMPASS early next term.
https://www.icasassessments.com
We have been very fortunate to be able to purchase a wide range of new sets of guided reading books. They will be available for all students K-6. A very big thank you to our wonderful parent volunteers who have taken many sets home for covering. We still have more books needing covering. If you are able to volunteer, please email Mrs Christine Perre perrec01@dow.catholic.edu.au
Mrs Christine Perre - Middle Leader & Instructional Coach
Students from Year 5 will soon be undertaking an education tour of the national capital. Students will be given the opportunity to participate in a variety of educational programs with a focus on Australia’s history, culture, heritage and democracy.
The Australian Government recognises the importance of all young Australians being able to visit the national capital as part of their Civics and Citizenship education. To assist families in meeting the cost of the excursion the Australian Government is contributing funding of $30 per student under the Parliament and Civics Education Rebate program towards those costs. The rebate is paid directly to the school upon completion of the excursion.
Mrs Michelle Lace - Year 5 Teacher
“We must take note of the changes that have affected both the family and the school, and renew the commitment to constructive collaboration – for the benefit of children and young people” — Pope Francis
Catholic Education Diocese of Wollongong (CEDoW) strives to create vibrant Catholic communities of faith and learning and believes this is best achieved when there is a genuine partnership between home and school.
The Lighting the Way Together Parent-School Partnership Framework has been developed to support the creation and maintenance of this partnership. It outlines for parents* and school the principles and expectations of the parent-school partnership so that together we can create:
- identifiably Catholic communities, inspired by the person and teaching of Jesus Christ, where all strive to act with hope, integrity, justice and compassion; and
- effective schools which enhance student learning and wellbeing.
The Parent-School Partnership Framework is available in six additional languages to help support you and your family.
The Framework is available in Vietnamese, Hindi, Nepali, Malayalam, Tagalog and Arabic. They are all available for download from the below link:
We recommend not taking your child on holidays during the school term in order for your child to receive the most out of their schooling.
Any parent requesting leave for their child for (5) or more consecutive days is required to complete an Application for Extended Leave Form.
The form is available at the School Office or can be downloaded from the school website.
To ensure approval before the leave takes place, we require the completed form lodged at Student Services a minimum of 2 weeks before the Leave commences.
Thank you.
Dear Parents,
Please see the information attached in relation to our School Photo Day which is scheduled for Thursday, 4 August 2022.
As you can see from the photo below, our lost property basket if over flowing with jackets, pants and hats! All these items have no names or no name of current students. If you think your child's jacket, hat or pants could be in this basket, please come in and search through it. The lost property is housed in the Basement.
PlaySpace Drama is held after school each Wednesday afternoon in the St Columbkilles School Hall. It is a fun-filled programme available to Yrs 1-6. Many games, activities and scripts see Drama students develop voice skills; stagecraft skills; expressive skills; co-operative skills; confidence; and empathy.
Now is the time to enrol for Semester Two, 2022, with classes commencing Wed 20th July.
Yr 1-2 Drama: 3.20 – 4.20pm
Yr 3-4 Drama: 4.20 – 5.20pm
Yr 5-6 Drama: 5.20 – 6.20pm
All existing students have priority placement, so get your child’s name down now to secure a spot! See flyer below for further details (contact teacher directly via email).
Kind Regards,
Marianne Patton
