Dear Parents and Carers,

We have enjoyed a sensational couple of weeks at St Columbkille's with several significant events which we have participated in and celebrated as a school community.

Last night, our K-6 students thoroughly enjoyed our first disco for the year. Thank you to the P&F, parents and staff who supported the event - your support was greatly appreciated. 

On Wednesday, we celebrated World Environment Day. This year’s theme was  is ‘Air Pollution’. Thank you to Mrs Russo, Mrs Herring and the Year 6 Enviro Ninja's for their work in acknowledging the day.

 ‘Air pollution may seem complex, but we can all do our part to reduce some of it. Understanding the different types of pollution, and how it affects our health and environment will help us take steps towards improving the air around us’.

Below are links to World Environment Day for further information

https://www.worldenvironmentday.global 

https://www.abc.net.au/btn/classroom/air-pollution/10523778

'Understanding Our Boys' parent session last Monday was well attended and a great success. Thank you once again to Sam Immens and our guest speakers, John Sparks and Dr Kerrie Hayes-Williams. If parents would like the 'Understanding Our Boys' folder with information regarding the three parent sessions, please see the office.

Last Friday we acknowledged and celebrated National Reconciliation Week. The theme for National Reconciliation Week 2019 was ‘Grounded in Truth – Walk Together with Courage’. National Reconciliation Week, invites all Australians to learn more about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) cultures and histories, to share that knowledge and help us grow as a nation.

The 'Reconciliation Walk' from Holy Spirit College to Bellambi Public School once again was a very special event and was well attended by students, staff, parents and grandparents. Thank you Mrs Lace and Mrs Orphin for all their work in ensuring our Aboriginal students and their friends get the opportunities to be proud of and connect with their culture on a daily basis, including the Friday ATSI Liturgy and afternoon tea. 

Our staff are currently finalising Semester One reports. I would like to thank them for the time, effort and energy that it takes to write these reports on each of our students. We look forward to sharing with you our students strengths and areas for improvement, along with the conversations that will take place about your child/ren learning and ongoing development throughout the semester. Semester One Reports will be distributed via Compass on Thursday 20 June. Learning Conversations (Parent/Teacher/Student Interviews) will commence on Monday 24 June through to Friday 5 July. You will be notified on how to make a booking in the coming weeks.  

Next Tuesday 11 June is our annual Staff Development Day. This professional learning day for staff will focus on Writing, Spelling and Learning Progressions. This is a 'Pupil Free Day'. School will resume for students on Wednesday 12 June. 

Enjoy the long weekend with family and friends. If you are going away, please travel safe.

Take care

Mr Brad Colquhoun - Principal

World Environment Day

Our school liturgy, on Wednesday, 5 June, focused on the theme “Beat Air Pollution.” Thank you to Mrs Russo and our Enviro Ninjas for organising facts and reminders about ways to help our earth, as well as proclaim the special prayers for our liturgy. It was a timely reminder for all to think about caring for our environment even if it seems like a small act. Thank you to the many children and families who were able to travel to school differently on this day. Many stickers were handed out for your efforts. (Special mention to Mrs Finney who caught the train from Helensburgh to Corrimal, then walked to St Collumbkille's with her umbrella!!!)

Confirmation

Our third and final Confirmation evening will be held next Wednesday, 12 June at 6.30pm. The following Wednesday these students, as well as students from local state schools, will attend their retreat day at school and at the Parish Centre. We are looking forward to celebrating the Sacrament of Confirmation with Bishop Brian on Thursday, 20 and Friday, 21 June. Continue to keep these children in your prayers.

A great range of excellent quality religious gifts are available from Cathedral Books & Gifts. A beautiful selection of bibles, books, missal, rosaries, plaques, crucifixes, medals, statues and greeting cards, candles – perfect to commemorate Confirmation, First Holy Communion and Baptism. For enquiries, phone 42222484. 

St Columba Feast Day & Mass

On Friday, 14 June our school will celebrate our patron saint, St Columba, with a whole school Mass at 9.30am followed by a school picnic at Ziems Park. A number of activities, provided by the staff, will enable students to enjoy our annual feast day. 

IMPORTANT DATES FOR RECONCILIATION/FIRST HOLY COMMUNION

Wednesday, 14 August: Liturgy in the Church @ 6.30pm for parents and carers only. (return of forms)

PREPARATION FOR SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION

Wednesday, 18 September: Session 1 @ 6.30pm at St Columbkille’s School. (Parent/carer/child to attend)

Wednesday, 25 September: Sacrament of Reconciliation in St Columbkille’s Church from 9.30-11.30am 

PREPARATION FOR FIRST HOLY COMMUNION

Wednesday, 23 October: Session 2 @ 6.30pm at St Columbkille’s School. (Parent/carer/child to attend)

Wednesday, 13 November: Session 3 @ 6.30pm at St Columbkille’s School. (Parent/carer/child to attend)

Wednesday, 20 November: Communion Retreat: Child only, Parish Centre, 9.30am start – 3.00pm finish.

FIRST HOLY COMMUNION MASSES

Saturday, 23 November at 6.00pm and Sunday, 24 November 9.30am

NB: If you know of any State school children who would like to prepare for the Sacraments please pass this on

Mrs Jo Herring - Religious Education Coordinator 

Congratulations to the following students:

Awards

Principal’s Award

KB - Juliette Ayers

KG - Theia Vincent

1G - Georgia Allman, David Asher, Rebecca Cowle, Lachlan Miller, Alyssa Nowak

2G - Noah Bell, Alexander Mamouris, Indiana Whitton

3B – Harper Briscoe-Hough, Chantelle Fleury, Aiden Heaton, Alicia Rohoseink

3G – Betty Barry, Niamh Conway, Payten Sims, Imogen Smart

4B - Declan Duvall, Orlando Carrasco

4G - Isaac Ayers, Chloe Nightingale, Christian Villella

5B - Riley Holl, Neave Hurley, Sophia Kordalis, Emily Sharman, Jasmine Whiddon

5G - Lucas Dubowski, Emma Lumsden, Evelyn Ritz

6B – Joshua Akhurst, Lucy Butler, Lacey Duvall, Katarina Fleury, Felicity McIntyre, Macie Simon, Charlotte Walton

6G - Lilly Gallo, Emy Ryan

Mary MacKillop Award

1B – Ethan Oliver

1G - Blake Lumsden

2B – Taj Bloom, Randy O'Brien

3G - Wintah Breakspear, Lola Shaw 

4G - Alyssa Fitzpatrick

5G - Cameron Munn, Xavier Palermo x 3

6G - Lachlan Sharman

Medallion

3G – Lola Shaw 

Did you know that the school calendar is published with the fortnightly newsletter?  This function will also allow you to sync school events with your personal calendar on your device.  Follow the below steps to see how:

• Select the Newsletter link in Compass.  This will launch the Newsletter. 

• Select the menu button in the top left hand corner.  This is the three horizontal stripes, just before the title St Columbkille's Catholic Parish Primary School. 

• From here you will be able to select many options, from contacting the school, visiting our school website, Facebook and Instagram to reading archived newsletters. 

• At the bottom on the list, by selecting 'School Calendar', you will be able to sync the whole calendar to your own, or simply scroll through the events and sync only those that pertain to your family.  By selecting the 'View More' bottom you will be able to view dates for the entire calendar year.  

We hope this allows you to plan ahead.  

If you have any technical difficulties, please let me know.  

Maria Disibio - Assistant Principal 

On Friday 14 June we celebrate our Patron Saint – St Columba Feast Day. We will begin our celebration with Mass K-6 in our Church at 9:30am and then make our way down to Ziem’s Park, Corrimal for our annual  Picnic Day from 11:00am to 2:00pm (approximately). Students will have the opportunity to take part in a series of tabloid activities designed and lead by our teachers and the P&F will provide each student with a sausage sandwich - Primary 12:00pm and Infants 12:30pm. All parents and grandparents are most welcome to attend and participate in the activities. Parents can bring additional lunch for their child/ren and are able to take them home on the completion of the activities from Ziem’s Park.

Mrs Maria Disibio - Assistant Principal

Reminder: Pupil Free Day - Tuesday 11 June.

This will be a Teacher Professional Learning Day for the staff of St Columbkille's. 

The school community of St Columbkille’s celebrated World Environment Day by coming together for a whole school Liturgy and by encouraging all members of the community to choose a more environmentally friendly way of travelling to and from school.  Many students, parents and staff opted to walk, car pool or catch public transport to school on this day. Students who made this environmental pledge were awarded with World Environment Day stickers for their efforts.    

Taje (Year 5 student) said that “..the Liturgy was an interesting and enjoyable way to start the day and celebrate World Environment Day.”   

Mrs Tyrrell (Middle Leader) stated that “It was great to see and hear many students and their families choosing alternative ways to travel to school, as a way to help beat air pollution”.  

This time last year, to commemorate World Environment Day, we planted 8 trees beside the paddock. We asked some of the students who planted the trees to come and visit their class tree to see how much they have grown.

On Friday, 31 May, our Indigenous students, parents and staff members, enjoyed a wonderful experience participating in the Reconciliation March.  The Reconciliation March started at Holy Spirit College to Bellambi Public School, where the atmosphere was so surreal.  Children from each school participated with the dance of Celebration of Reconciliation.  Last year each school planted a plant in the Indigenous Garden where ours has flourished.  Our dancer, Willow Russell, was so proud to a plant in appreciation.  This is now planted in our spiritual garden.

We have a meaningful liturgy for Reconciliation during our afternoon assembly followed by an afternoon tea with our aboriginal children and parents, which was very well received.  Aunty Shaz's reunion photo with jubilant students.

Mrs Liz Orphin - School Support Officer - Indigenous Education

L’Angolo Italiano

Italian Week takes place in early June, to commemorate Italy’s National Day - 2 June, the founding of the Italian Republic -and there are many activities organised honouring this celebration for school students who are learning Italian.

Students from the Gold classes, Kinder to 6, entered the “Pietro Tedeschi Poster Competition” which is organised by I.A.T.I Inc. (Illawarra Association of Teachers of Italian) every year.

Last Saturday, 1st June, the First Place winners and their families were invited to attend a special presentation at Il Porcellino Restaurant in Balgownie.  The students were presented with their prizes and certificates by the Vice-Consulate of Italy in Wollongong, Mr. Luca Ferrari.

The winners are:-

Cleo Mancini, KG

Clover Duggan, Yr 2G

Charlee Campbell, Yr 3G

Alyssa Fitzpatrick and Molly Stephen, Yr 4G

Georgia Bartzos, Yr 6G  

Congratulazioni – congratulations to the winners and to all the students in the Gold classes for their participation and efforts.  Siete bravissimi!!

Tanti saluti,

Signora Elena Molinaro

Thank you for your ongoing support in ensuring that 'Car Lines' is a safe environment for our school and wider community. Please ensure that during morning drop-off, cars drive to the No Parking/Standing sign at the end of the Infants Playground to maximise the drop-off space - 5 cars at a time.