Dear Parents and Guardians,

Welcome back to a brand new term at Columba! We hope you and your children had a wonderful and restful holiday break. It's truly fantastic to have the playgrounds buzzing and our classrooms filled with the vibrant energy of our students once again.

While the students were enjoying their break, our team has been hard at work making improvements around the school. We've completed essential maintenance on the doors in the senior and Grade 3 buildings. You'll also notice the fresh, new fascias on our Grade 3, Art and Japanese classrooms, giving them a bright, updated look. We'll soon be commencing work on the railings on the portables to further enhance their appearance. For lunch time play, new soccer goals will be installed in th enear future. And while it might sound a little bit "boring" to some, we've also begun the important process of installing new split systems in our Grade 1 & 2 buildings, which will provide a more comfortable learning environment for our younger students in winter and summer.

As we look ahead to Term 3, we have an exciting calendar of events planned for our school community. We have just completed NAIDOC Week, running from the 6th to the 13th of July, a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the history, culture, and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Get ready to put on your dancing shoes because we're hosting a fantastic Disco on Thursday, July 31st! Students in Prep, Grade 1, and Grade 2 will enjoy their boogie from 4:00 pm to 5:30 pm, followed by Grade 3, 4, 5, and 6 students from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm. It promises to be a night of fun, music, and great memories!

Looking further into the term, we will celebrate Indigenous Literacy Day on Wednesday, September 3rd, promoting literacy and celebrating the rich stories of Indigenous Australians. Shortly after, on Thursday, September 4th, we'll be hosting our special Father's Day Event and Father's Day Stall, a wonderful chance to celebrate the important male figures in our students' lives. Finally, get those creative costumes ready for Book Week Dress Up Day on Friday, September 5th, where we'll encourage our students to immerse themselves in the joy of reading and their favourite literary characters.

Please note a change in date for our Grandparents Day celebration, which will now be held on November 13th.

Term 3 is a particularly vital period for our students to consolidate their learning from the first half of the year. This term provides an excellent opportunity for students to deepen their understanding, apply new skills, and make academic progress as we head towards the end of the year. We encourage all students to embrace the challenges and opportunities this term presents with enthusiasm and effort.

I also strongly encourage open communication between home and school. Please do not hesitate to reach out to your child's classroom teacher if you have any questions or concerns. Our leadership team is also here to support you. For any broader school matters, please contact:

• Caz Websdale, Deputy Principal and Head of Teaching and Learning - cwebsdale@bunyip.catholic.edu.au

• Lizzy Cunningham, Mental Health Leader in Primary School - lcunningham@bunyip.catholic.edu.au (can support students and parents)

• Katelyn Sligar, Leader of Learning Adjustments and Support - ksligar@bunyip.catholic.edu.au

Our Middle Leaders of Learning are also available for specific year level queries:

• Kate Muccignat (P-1) - kmuccignat@bunyip.catholic.edu.au

• Shae Forster (Grade 2-3) - sforster@bunyip.catholic.edu.au

• Tory Parker (Grade 4-6) - tparker@bunyip.catholic.edu.au

For finance-related enquiries, please contact Meg Watts at finance@bunyip.catholic.edu.au, and for general administration needs, Belinda Fawkner at office@bunyip.catholic.edu.au.

We are looking forward to a productive and enjoyable Term 3 filled with learning, growth, and community spirit. Thank you for your continued support and partnership in your child's education.

Take care

Andrew Greco

Principal