Dear Parents and Carers,

Hope that you are well and have enjoyed a wonderful week.

We have enjoyed a wonderful start to Term 2. Thank you to our students staff, parents and grandparents for the support in the making transition back to SCC such a successful one.

President: Sarah Foster Vice Presidents: Kelly Saveski

Secretary/Treasurer: Rosie King

On Sunday 14 May, we celebrate the gift of our mums through Mother's Day. This day honours our mothers and all of those women in our lives who nurture and unconditionally love us. Mother's Day, affirms the love and respect we have for our mothers,  grandmothers, aunties or sisters, as we show our gratitude for all that they have done for us and continue to do.

As part of our Mother's Day celebration, on Friday 12 May from 1pm, our mothers and grandmothers are invited to attend our Mother's Day luncheon celebration in the MD Hall. This will be followed by our Mother's Day Liturgy.  

The Mother's Day Stall will be held on Thursday 11 May. Thank you to Sarah Foster, Kelly Saveski and Rosie King from the P&F, for organising our Mother's Day Stall. We greatly appreciate your time and effort in preparing for the day.

Next week, Mrs Disibio and I begin the interview process for new and existing families for Kindergarten 2024. It is a significant time in the lives of families and we look forward to meeting prospective students and their families over the next 4 weeks.

We have updated both our Behaviour Management and Uniform policies. If you have any concerns and/or questions, please let me know. Below are the key changes in each policy. Please refer to Behaviour Management and Uniform policies attached within our Newsletter.

Discrimination

Discrimination occurs when a person, or a group of people, is treated less favourably than another person or group because of their background or certain personal characteristics.Features may include: race, gender, age, impairment and religion. There is a Zero Tolerance approach to discrimination. Students discriminating against others will be suspended from school.

Please refer to the link for further information:https://humanrights.gov.au

Consequences for Behaviour Infringements

When a child displays a form of inappropriate behaviour, they are given a rule reminder. At this point, the student is reminded of the school expectations and class rules.

If the inappropriate behaviour continues, the following procedure will take place:

• Casual teachers – 1 rule reminder and then time out of class
• Specialist teacher   - 1 rule reminder and  then time out of class
• Classroom - 2 rules reminders  then time out of class
• If the child receives ‘time-out’ whilst with a casual, specialist or classroom teacher is sent to the office to a member of the leadership team.
• The teacher who gives the ‘time-out’ is responsible for providing students with a ‘Student Reflection Sheet’.
• The classroom teacher is responsible for ensuring this incident is recorded onto Compass as a minor behaviour.
• On re-entry to the classroom, the teacher welcomes the student back and directs them to the appropriate task.
• Reflective Conversation – the teacher who sent the student to ‘time out’ finds a suitable time to discuss the expected behaviours with the student and have a reflective conversation.  

 Uniform Expectations: Hair and School Shoes

• Hair is to be its natural colour and kept neat and tidy. Therefore, dyed hair, shaved heads, patterns/lines cut into the hair and mullets are not acceptable
• Shoulder length hair or longer is to be tied back using a navy blue, gold or black hair elastic or ribbon
• Headbands are not permitted
• Plain navy or gold clips may be worn
• Sports Shoes - Predominately white joggers with white laces
• School Shoes -­ Black leather polishable shoes

Thank you in advance for your support of these policies. 

Have a sensational couple of weeks and enjoy your weekend. 

Take care, 

Brad Colquhoun - Principal

We continue to celebrate Easter within the Church year. Did you know there are actually 6 weeks of Easter, followed by the Ascension of the Lord and Pentecost Sunday? May we continue to celebrate our risen Lord with the following prayer...

Pay it Forward - Contributing to the Kindness Revolution

Pay It Forward Day is a global initiative that is celebrated on Friday 28 April. It seeks to make a difference by creating a huge ripple of kindness across the world. This initiative encourages all of us to consider small, practical acts of kindness we can offer to those around us. And as we participate, these acts of kindness generate further acts of kindness. We see this lived out in the film “Pay it Forward”.

What do days or films like this offer our world? An initiative like “Pay it Forward” is a prompt, reminding us of the value of doing things for others around us. We intuitively know that this is a good thing to do, but the busyness of our lives can impact our ability to live these ideals out. Yet there is power in raising our awareness. We can consider for a day how we might reach out to others, which may then encourage us to repeat this for a few more days or weeks. And over time what was once a prompt becomes a ritual or a daily habit.

This notion of Pay it Forward is not a new concept. Jesus advocated this when he spoke to his disciples. “Do to others as you would have them do to you.” Luke 6:31. Jesus knew that acts of kindness and compassion had a ripple effect and lived this out.

In 2021 Hugh MacKay wrote a book entitled “The Kindness Revolution”. Similar to the “Pay it Forward” initiative he wrote about the significance of sharing kindness with every human being. Hugh Mackay expressed in a recent TED talk that there is “one quality we need for preserving social cohesion and for promoting social harmony. And that quality is our capacity for compassion. Our capacity to show kindness and respect towards each other.”

Mackay went on to express, “All of us are capable of showing kindness, even to total strangers. Even towards people we don’t even like much, towards people we could never agree with. It doesn’t matter. In fact, that’s the real test of whether we understand what compassion is. It’s nothing to do with emotion. It’s nothing to do with affection. It’s to do with being true to our human nature.”

Mackay reminds us that these gestures of kindness are not always easy and they cannot rely on emotion alone. They are choices that we make due to our common humanity, inspired by the example of Jesus and in the hope that we can create a better world for one another.

This year the “Pay it Forward” project seeks to inspire 10 million acts of kindness across the world. On Friday, as we approach “Pay it Forward” we may all like to consider one gesture that could impact someone else’s day. These gestures do not need to be large actions or material items, but rather they are ideally small actions of acknowledgement or appreciation. A smile, a hello in the hallway, a phone call or you may consider picking up an extra coffee for someone with whom you cross paths.

“One kind word can change someone’s entire day!”

Some thoughts to consider:

• What are some of the barriers in paying it forward?
• How might you consider paying it forward on this day and beyond?

Rugby Union Diocesan Trials

On Friday 28th April, Ryder Bighetti (Year 6) attended the Diocesan Rugby Union Trials at St Gregory’s College, Campbelltown. There were a large number of students trialling on the day and we congratulate Ryder on his successful selection in the diocesan Team. Well done Ryder.

Indoor Rock Climbing

We wish the best of luck to Ariah Blue in Year 5. Ariah is involved in a weekly Advanced Climbing Group in Kirrawee and will be representing NSW in the upcoming National Climbing Competition. We look forward to Ariah Blue's success as she continues 'to climb the ranks'.

Cross Country
The Diocesan Cross Country has been POSTPONED until the 23rd of May 2023 in Nowra. Parents have been sent updated advice regarding this event.

Netball
St Columbkille’s will enter a number of boys and girls netball teams in an upcoming Gala day to be held on the 20th of June at Fred FinchPark, Hooka Creek Road, Berkeley.

Skiing
If you are intending to register your child for the following skiing events please contact Mrs O’Connor to ensure that all St Columbkille’s students are registered in the same team. Please note these are not diocesan events.
Redlands Cup 26th June - 9th July https://www.redlands.nsw.edu.au/redlandscup/
ACT/ Regional NSW Championships 17th- 21st July https://www.interschools.com.au/home-nsw-act-qld-sa/events-dates/

Mrs Adelaide O'Connor - Leader of Sport

On Friday 19 May we celebrtate Walk Safely to School Day (WSTSD).  This annual event is in its 24rd year.  The campaign encourages all primary school children, their parents and carers to walk safely and regulary to school.  The event seeks to promote road safety, health, public transport and the environment.

The objectives of WSTSD are:

• To encourage parents and carers to walk to school with primary school age children and reinforce safe pedestrian behaviour.
• To promote the health benefits of walking and help create regular walking habits at an early age.
• To ensure that children up to 10 years old hold an adult's hand when crossing the road.
• To help children develop the vital road-crossing skills they will need as they become mature pedestrians.
• To reduce the car dependency habits that are being created at an early age and which will be difficult to change as children become adults.
• To promote the use of Public Transport.
• To reduce the level of air pollution created by motor vehicles.
• To reduce the level of traffic congestion.

We look forward to seeing our students and families ride, walk and catch public transport to school.  These students will receive a Walk Safely to School Tattoo to wear.  

Mrs Maria Disibio - Assistant Principal

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.

Rosalia Lane is strictly a no stopping zone. It is recommended that parents and carers should not park in the laneways and/or driveways (Coxs and Rosalia) prior to afternoon dismissal - Carlines commences at 3pm and finishes at 3:30pm.

We ask parents/carers and grandparents do not arrive before 3pm and wait in the either laneway. Arriving at and/or after 3pm greatly reduces the congestion and makes the flow of traffic safer and effective.

Please ensure that the following guidelines are adhered to for the safety of all. 

• Children must only be dropped off or picked up in the clearly mark designated area
• Children must only enter and exit from the driver side of the car
• Family names are to be clearly displayed on the sunviser of all cars. Please contact the office if you need a one
• Overtaking a stationary vehicle is not permitted - it is a dangerous practice and unsafe for students exiting vehicles.

Thank you once again for your ongoing support.

All students are expected to wear the full winter school uniform from Monday 22 May. If you have any concerns regarding the winter uniform, please contact the office.

Correct uniform items are available for purchase from Poppets Direct (1/31 Montague Street, Fairy Meadow). Uniforms are also available to order online at Poppets.

You may also wish to visit our St Columbkille's second-hand uniform Facebook group to buy or sell new or used school uniforms among other members of the school community.

All clothing should be carefully marked with your child's name. Read more about our school uniform requirements in our uniform Policy. 

As you would be aware a number of our students have food allergies to nuts, eggs, fish and shellfish.  In keeping these students safe from food reactions including anaphylaxis, we ask that you take great care when packing lunch boxes for your child/ren school each day. 

We ask that you pack:

No raw nuts (nut muesli bars)

No nut products (peanut butter, Nutella, coconut water)

No nuts in cooked items

No raw eggs

No cooked eggs (egg sandwich, egg in a salad, egg based mayonnaise)

No meringue 

No raw fish

No raw shellfish

No cooked white fish, salmon or shellfish 

Items that are OK to include in lunchboxes are:

* tinned tuna

* egg within cooked foods (cakes, biscuits, quiche or zucchini slice) 

We ask all who consume these foods to wash hands thoroughly after consumption and to ensure that they do not share their food with others.

The following website, ‘Kids with Food Allergies’ contains a number of recipes that are as free of many different food allergens as possible.  If you struggle with what to pack your child, this site is worth a browse.

http://www.kidswithfoodallergies.org/page/recipes-diet.aspx#res

Also, just a reminder that NO dogs are permitted on school grounds as we have a student very allergic to dogs. 

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR PARENTS/GUARDIANS REGARDING SCHOOL FEES 2023