Dear Parents and Carers,

We have enjoyed several significant events in the life of our school over the last couple of weeks, with particular reference to the Confirmation of our Year 6 students and the  Feast Day of our Patron Saint - St Columba. Last night, we celebrated the first of our two Sacrament of Confirmation Liturgies. It was a very special experience that embraced the spirit of the Holy Spirit and generated a genuine sense of community. Thank you to Vicar General - Father Bernard Gordon, Father Patrick and Father Geoff, staff, parents, grandparents and catechists who not only attended, but supported our students throughout their preparation and during the Sacrament. We look forward to the same sense of occasion this evening for our second Sacrament of Confirmation Liturgy.

Last Friday, we commenced our celebration of the feast of St Columba with Mass, presenting of our St Columbkille’s Awards and continued celebrating with activities at Ziem’s Park, Corrimal. It was a sensational day that was highlighted by a great sense of community spirit, enthusiasm and energy. It was fantastic to see so many parents and grandparents attending the day and enjoying themselves. Thank you to our staff for the activities they organised and to the P&F team for providing lunch for our students. It was greatly appreciated. 

Congratulations to the following students who received a 2019 St Columbkille’s Award for living our Core Values of ‘Faith, Learning, Community, Celebration, Respect and Responsibility’ daily, through both word and action at last Friday's St Columba Day Mass.

KB Juliette Ayres KG Zali Mayo 1B Felix Ibrahim 1G Adelaide Blacka 2B Anastasia

2G Indira Lozenkovski  3B Isabelle Stenos 3G Niamh Conway 4B Bowen Bates

4G Molly Stephen 5B Samuel Morrisey 5G Alessandra Esquerro 

6B Jack McPhee  6G Emma Warmington 

Yesterday, our Semester One reports for Years 1 - 6 were sent home home. I would like to congratulate our students on their learning - socially, emotionally and academically for the first half of the year. Having read through all the reports, it is wonderful to see the vast majority of our students making significant gains in their learning and also knowing what nominated areas are needed for improvement moving into the future. Our teachers have done an outstanding job in writing our Semester One reports and are to be commended on the time and effort taken to showcase our student’s learning.

On Monday our Learning Conversations begin from Kindergarten to Year 6. These Learning Conversations are a great opportunity to discuss with your child/ren and his/her teacher their successes, areas of strength and opportunities for improvement moving into Semester Two. It is an expectation that your child/ren attend the upcoming Learning Conversations. Bookings for these conversations are to be made via Compass.  

Enjoy the next couple of weeks with your family and friends.

Take care

Principal - Mr Brad Colquhoun

Confirmation

Last night and again this evening a number of our Year 6 students were and are being confirmed by Vicar General Bernard Gordon. It was and will be again a wonderful celebration attended by staff, family and friends. These students have now made a commitment to using the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit to live out their faith. Congratulations to all involved and a special thank you to the staff and parishioners who have led both the parents and children on this journey. Also a huge thank you to those parents who were able to help out with the celebratory supper on these nights.

St Columba Feast Day

An enjoyable day was had by all in celebrating our patron saint, Saint Columba, last Friday. Our mass, reverently led by Father Geoff and Year 6 Leaders of Faith, reminded us of those values St Columba exhibits and which we try to replicate here at school. Fourteen students who live out the values of St Columba were presented with their special awards. Following this the staff organised tabloid activities, where much laughter and competitive spirit filled the air. It was a wonderful celebration on such a warm winters day.

St Vincent de Paul Winter Appeal

Mr Neville Eager, of our local St Vincent de Paul chapter, has advised of certain items for this years winter appeal. We have been asked to provide winter foods such as hearty soups (in cans and packets), noodles/pasta and pasta sauces. Each classroom will have a tub where donations can be left. These gifts will then be distributed throughout the Corrimal area helping those who are in need. If each family could donate one or two small items it goes a long way to helping people in our community. Each year the St Vincent de Paul Society are truly amazed by the generosity of the St Columbkille’s community, so let’s not disappoint. Our Mini Vinnies have also been invited to the local Vinnies store in the last week of Term, which they are very much looking forward to.

Refugee Week

Refugee Week began on Sunday, 16 June and runs through to Saturday, 22 June 2019.

This year's theme is  ‘With Refugees.’ Refugee Week is an annual event, which promotes positive images of refugees and celebrates the valuable contribution refugees make to Australian society. The ultimate aim is to facilitate better understanding between different communities and encourage successful integration, enabling refugees to live in safety and to continue making a valuable contribution to Australia. Let us remember to keep these people in our prayers.

IMPORTANT DATES FOR RECONCILIATION / FIRST HOLY COMMUNION

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

Preperation 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 9.30am-11.30am 

Preperation 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 information on to them.

A wonderful day was had celebrating our school feast day of St Columba with Mass and Picnic at Ziem's Park.  

Congratulations to the following students:

Awards

Principal’s Award

KG - Matthew Bertacco

1B - Lachlan Armytage, Kade Bloom, Blake Carter, Taavi Cooke, Felix Ibrahim, Andie Lucchitti, Taylor Potter, Sabina Santillan, Madison Stone

2B - Anastacia Auld, Ryder Bighetti, Massimo Casarotto, Georgia Doherty, Riley Dorin, Laura Mannion, Randy O'Brien, Joshua Potter, Juliet Ritz, Lorella-Marie Tadros, Claude Vincent 

2G - Steven Byju, Bronte Ireland, Olivia Ryan

3B – Ava Cooper, Nate Russell, Levi Saweris, Ivy Stuart

3G – Angus Coughlan, Preston Park, Zac Rosengren, Dean Srbinoski, Isaac Tasca

4B - Stella Peiris, Maricar Santillan, Samuel Warmington

4G - Harry Cross

5B - Alana Mauroplous

6G - Lachlan Sharman

Mary MacKillop Award

1G - Harrison Esteves, Abby Mannion

2B - Laura Mannion

2G - Maddie Nightingale

3G – Angus Coughlan

4B - Jake Mannion, Zahli O'Hara

4G - Benjamin Harris, Jack Kanati

5B - Taje Dorrington

5G - Ellie McCormack

Medallion

2B - Randy O'Brien 

5G - Xavier Palermo

Congratulations to the Akhurst Family on the arrival of their son, Jude.

To Nicole, Brad, Joshua, Mia, Ethan and Noah on the birth of Jude, we wish you all the very best moving into the future. 

'A baby is a blessing. A gift from Heaven above, a precious little angel to

cherish and to love'.

With ten weeks to go, I know that lots of students are borrowing books from the Premiers Reading Challenge booklist and enjoying them.

The Premiers Reading Challenge is an optional reading challenge for Kinder - Year 4 and encourages children from all NSW schools to read and record a wide variety of quality literature from Australia and overseas.

For our Year 5 & Year 6 students, who have their own iPads as part of their daily school equipment, I have asked them all to take up this challenge as part of their personal learning goals.

If you have forgotten or misplaced your username and password or if you are having any trouble logging on, please contact library staff who will be able to assist you. Online entries close late August so you still have plenty of time.

We congratulate these 13 students who have already completed the PRC:

KINDERGARTEN: Juliette Ayers, Keira Fabon. 

Year 1: Eden Saweris. 

Year 2: Laura Mannion. 

Year 3: Aiden Heaton, Levi Saweris. 

Year 4: Isaac Ayers, Allegra Calmasini, Athanael Disibio, Quito Munoz Letham, Zahli O'Hara 

Year 5: Jasmine Whiddon. 

Year 6: Xavier Ayers.

Well done! We are very proud of you.

Paula Russo - Librarian Teacher

On Friday, 14  June the following students at St Columbkilles’ participated in the Mackillop Cross Country at Eastern Creek:

Hamish Dorney, Bailey Mitchell, Kye Mitchell, Lacey Duval, and Maddison Wood.

All students were very competitive on the day with Hamish placing (6^th) and Bailey (9^th). Hamish has now qualified for the NSWPSSA Cross Country.  Well done to all the runners. A special thank you to Mrs Lauren Mitchell who has been training many of our students in the lead up to both the Diocesan and Mackillop Cross Country events.  

Students creating their own symbolic creation on their Grade Spirit for NAIDOC.

Mrs Liz Orphin - School Support Officer

Mamma Mia!!! What a busy Term 2 it has been with our Italian activities and there are more in store before the end of Semester 1. 

Here are some reflections from students in Years 4G and 4B of their experience at the Fraternity Club for the Italian National Day celebrations. The students enjoyed an Italian lunch, complete with a gelato, participated in some traditional dancing of the Tarantella and played Italian bingo, Tombola.

I smelled the soft bread through my nose. The pasta was half sauce and the other half had gorgonzola on it. When I walked in, I saw tables and chairs. I also saw red and green napkins in the glasses. At lunch time I could taste the butter, pasta and gorgonzola. 

                                                                                          Jacob Esposito   Year 4B

It felt like night time when we walked in because of the dim lights. When we walked in a lady from Holy Spirit College was there and she told us to sit on the dance floor and we played counting games like “buzz” in Italian.  I was very surprised when I was that we were the only school there. I could see big curtains hanging from the roof and fairy lights. We went to our tables and ate some penne-pasta and ravioli. I also saw the Italian and Australian flags. We sang the National Anthem and then we sang the Italian Anthem. We played Tombola and then we had some ice-cream (gelato). Then we had to do a dance with someone and then we went back to our tables and played another game of Tombola. We took a photo and then we got on the bus and went back to school.  It was so much fun!

                                                                                       Sebastian Pannell Year 4B

When I walked in, I thought it was night-time because the lights were so dim. When I saw the dance floor, I knew we were going to dance on it.  I could smell the pasta and I heard the people bringing it in.  I don’t like pasta, so I had some bread rolls with salty butter on them.

When I heard the music, I knew we were all going to dance. I got nervous because I didn’t want to dance. I felt my partner’s sweaty hands!

When we left, I felt sad because it was so much fun.  That is my experience at the Frat! 

                                                                                         Maddison Beverley Year 4B

Stomp! Stomp! Stomp! That was the sound of Year 4 getting off the bus at the Fraternity Club. We jostled up the stairs in a rush to see our delicious-smelling pasta and ravioli with bread rolls. There were so many mixed emotions inside my head!! I was feeing happy, nervous, hungry and apprehensive all at once! We played a game first, then got stuck into our food. After we’d eaten, we danced. I was kind of nervous but soon it was time to go back to school and I felt a little sad.

                                                                                 Benjamin Harris Year 4G

When we walked into the Fraternity we played Maths games. Then we got served penne, ravioli and gelato. I could hear the tapping of feet, music playing and people talking.  I touched cutlery, Tombola sheets, hands and arms. When I looked around, I could see a stage, drinks, bread, butter, teachers and many more things. I could smell the delicious pasta. I felt happy and excited. I was nervous and embarrassed when we were dancing but I enjoyed my visit to the Fraternity Club.

                                                                                    Hamish Dorney Year 4G 

On Wednesday, Week 9, is “Pizza and Pasta Making Day” with students from Stage 3 Gold classes. Year 5G will be making Pizza and Year 6G will be making fresh pasta, both will be made from scratch. Through these activities, students gain an appreciation of the worldwide culinary contribution that the Italians have made.  The students are looking forward to these activities very much as they get to eat what they make!!

On Wednesday afternoon of Week 10, the parents, grandparents and caregivers of Year 3G will be invited to come and join the students and have an Italian lesson and play Tombola (Italian Bingo) together.

Congratulations are in order to these students who gained either a 2^nd or 3^rd place in their category for the Pietro Tedeschi Poster Competition held in May.

Second place winners:  

Yr 1 Isabella Masters; Yr 2 Ruby Franco; Yr 4 Ben Purtell;

Yr 5 Joelle Bate; Yr 6 Annabelle Donachy

Third place winners:

Kinder Theia Vincent; Yr 1 Abby Mannion; Yr 2 Nikkita Hira; Yr 4 Sophia Gualtieri; Yr 5 Zara Srbinoski; Yr 6 Elise Leslie

These winners will be receiving a special Certificate at the last Assembly for the Term.

Once again, I take this opportunity to say “Grazie Mille” to the teachers, parents and students of our school community for supporting these activities. 

Saluti

Signora Molinaro - Italian Teacher

On Monday 17 June, 1 Gold invited other classes to visit our Learning Expo.

We presented our key note presentation about sharks.  We also displayed our history boxes and museum about the Past, Present and Future.

1 Blue, Kinder Gold, 3 Gold and 3 Blue all enjoyed our Learning Expo.

Dylan Fang and Isabella Masters

Thank you to the families who ensured that all library books were returned this week. It was wonderful for all the students to be able to visit the school library with their class. Unfortunately there is still a significant number of books outstanding so reminder notes will be sent home this week. Our borrowing arrangement is two weeks. These books are to share. I suggest that the students try to finish reading the books over the weekend and put them in their school bag ready for Monday return.
We have fun during classes and at lunch time on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Mrs Paula Russo - Librarian Teacher

A P&F Mufti Day will be held on Friday 5th July.  This mufti day will be in support of the Lolly stall and hence we ask each student to wear their mufti clothes and donate sweets for the stall.  So that we recieive a range of confectionary, we ask each class to donate the following:

KINDER -   A block of plain milk Cadbury’s chocolate.

1 BLUE -   BOYS- Clinkers  -   GIRLS - Marshmallows

1 GOLD -   Chocolate treats eg  Freckles, Maltesers

2 BLUE -    Snakes

2 GOLD -   Packet of lollypops

YEAR 3 -  Snack sized chocolate bars

YEAR 4 -  Crazy tasting lollies eg warheads, sour lollies, sherbert

YEAR 5 -  Party mixed lollies eg jelly beans, raspberries, bananas

YEAR 6 -  Wrapped lollies eg milkos, res skins, fantales, minties

A donation from each student would be greatly appreciated.

PLEASE ENSURE THAT THE EXPIRY DATE IS AFTER DECEMBER 19

Thank you for your generous support.