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HAVE YOU PAID YOUR School Fees?
If you are on a concession card, you MUST organise a direct debit with a school, this is a condition of the reduced fee concession
Please pay your fees as soon as you can, we rely on fees to supplement much of the leaning in our classrooms.
Please contact Meg on 0356295933 (Tuesday, Wednesdays or Fridays) or by email finance@bunyip.catholic.edu.au if you have not received your fee statement.
Our system struggles to send fee statements to HOTMAIL emails. If you have a hotmail email, you may be missing the statements. We ask that you please call the school and use an alternate email to help with the fee statement distribution.
Columba Catholic Primary School Acknowledges the Bunurong Peoples’ of the Kulin Nation as Traditional Owners and Custodians and pay respect to their Elders past, present, and emerging.
Columba acknowledges the Bunurong’s continuing relationship to the land and waterways and respects that their connection and spiritual identity are maintained through ancient ceremonies, songlines, dance, art, and living culture.
We pay tribute to the invaluable contributions of the Bunurong and other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Elders who have guided and continue to guide our work.
In her painting Born for You, First Nations artist Julie Dowling reinterprets the traditional nativity scene by replacing the Holy Family with her own Badimaya friends and family. The work draws a powerful connection between the story of Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus and the experiences of First Nations people, particularly the dispossession and resilience they have faced.
Dowling was inspired by Caravaggio's painting, Rest on the Flight to Egypt, which depicts the Holy Family's perilous journey fleeing King Herod. Dowling’s work similarly portrays a family's strength in the face of danger. In her painting, baby Jesus is modeled on a child who was separated from his family and Aboriginal heritage. This detail highlights the ongoing issue of child separation within First Nations communities.
The painting is rich with both Christian and Indigenous symbols. The halo around baby Jesus includes hands and crosses, reminding the viewer that Jesus's birth is significant for all families. Dowling's work ultimately suggests that God lifts up the powerless, a theme she connects to both the biblical story and the struggles of First Nations people.
Other Sacrament datesReligious Education and Sacramental Team
Dear Parents and Guardians,
I am writing to you today to share our next school-wide focus on expectations and behavior. A key part of our mission is to create a safe, respectful, and thriving learning community for every student. We believe that when our processes, priorities, and expectations are aligned, our students are better equipped to succeed both academically and personally.
Recently, we have observed some challenges regarding student use of the school toilets. This is a great opportunity for us to reinforce the importance of respect for shared spaces and each other. We are implementing clear new processes and boundaries to ensure that all students have access to clean and appropriate facilities. We are confident that with these changes, and with your support, this issue will be resolved quickly.
This small example illustrates a larger principle: when we work together and align our efforts, we all benefit. We are asking for your partnership in reinforcing these expectations at home. Please talk to your children about the importance of making good choices and owning their actions. We also encourage you to use moments when things don't go their way as a chance to teach them valuable life skills.
An important life skill we are focusing on is grit. As psychologist Angela Lee Duckworth explains in her popular TED Talk, "Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance," grit is the passion and perseverance to achieve very long-term goals.
Her research shows that grit is a better predictor of success than talent or IQ. For children ages 6-12, this means celebrating effort and teaching them that their ability to learn is not fixed, but can grow with hard work—a concept known as a "growth mindset."
We can help our children develop grit both at school and home by encouraging them to own up to poor choices, learn from mistakes, and see challenges as opportunities to build resilience and determination. When they face a setback, we can remind them that failure is not a permanent condition and that sticking with a difficult task is what ultimately leads to mastery.
By working together, we can ensure our school remains a positive and productive environment for everyone. Thank you for your continued support.
Notice Regarding Electronic Devices for 2026
We are writing to inform you of an important change to our school’s electronic device program, which will take effect at the beginning of the 2026 school year.
Changes to Our Device Program
After careful consideration and consultation with teachers and parents, we have decided to make the following adjustments to our technology program to better support student learning:
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Grade 3: Starting in 2026, we will no longer be supplying electronic devices for our Grade 3 students. We believe that focusing on foundational learning skills is the most effective approach for this age group. We understand this is a change for students who may be used to having a device, and we are confident that our dedicated teachers have more than enough resources to ensure a rich and engaging learning experience.
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Grades 4, 5, & 6: The Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) program will be discontinued for our current Grade 5 students, who will be moving into Grade 6 in 2026. Instead, all students in Grades 4, 5, and 6 will be provided with a school-owned Chromebook for use at school. Each student will have their own dedicated device.
Addressing Screen Time
We are aware of the growing concerns around screen time for children both at school and at home. This change is part of our broader effort to work with families to help create a healthier balance.
The school-owned Chromebooks will not be taken home. This ensures that their use is limited to the school day, which we believe will support a healthier balance between screen time and other activities.
We appreciate your understanding and support as we implement these changes to continue providing the best possible learning environment for all our students. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Andrew Greco
Principal
Grade 5 and 6
Marist Sion Sports Carnival
On August 27, our Grade 5 and 6 students had a fantastic time competing in the Winter Sports Competition at Marist-Sion. The event was a wonderful opportunity for our students to connect with the Marist-Sion community and with students from other local Catholic schools in Drouin, Warragul, and Trafalgar.
The day was filled with fun and friendly competition as students played netball, football, and Newcomb. Everyone showed great sportsmanship, and while there were wins and losses, the most important thing was the enthusiastic participation from all.
A huge thank you to all the parents who volunteered their time to coach—your help is incredibly appreciated. We also want to thank our dedicated teachers for organizing the event and Marist-Sion for being such welcoming hosts.
The next Whole School Assembly will be on
Friday 12th September
hosted by the Social Justice Team in the MPR
beginning at 2:30 PM
The next value is Respect.
“For you have need of endurance so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what is promised”
Hebrews 10:36
Congratulations to these award winners!
The value is Perseverance, which is the value of Alcott house, inspired by the work of Dylan Alcott.
Celebrating Our VicSpell Superstars!
A huge congratulations to Sophie, Jack, Tora, and Lara for representing our school at the 2025 VicSpell competition! The event was held on Friday, August 22nd, at Ripplebrook Primary School, and we couldn't be prouder of these amazing spellers.
Sophie, Jack, Tora, and Lara were our top competitors from Grades 5 and 6, and they showed incredible effort and talent. Their hard work paid off, and we are so proud of them for stepping up to the challenge and doing their best.
Thank you to the students for all your hard work and to your families for their support. We're already looking forward to competing in the 2026 event!
| FATHERS DAY STALL ORDER NOW |
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Dear Andrew,  Closes Monday 1st September The Columba Father's Day Stall is now open for orders. Presents are $5 each. Please only purchase one gift for each of the child's dad/special person. The stall will be held at school on Thursday 4th September Orders are now open HERE https://ordering.cdfpay.flexischools.com.au/m/columba-catholic-school-events-fathers-day-stall-2025 Through the CDF PAY App (same one as the lunch orders) If you have not downloaded the CDF PAY APP, please do so asap as this will be where all school ordering will be done in the future Register for the new CDFpay mobile app today! The new CDFpay mobile app and website is now available for online canteen ordering, uniform shop, events, fundraising, and over-the-counter purchases at our school. If you haven’t already, please register for a new CDFpay account today: Download the CDFpay mobile app on the Apple or Google store, then click ‘Sign up now’. No app? Register here  |
'Pupil-free days, student-free days, school closures' are days of no school for students. These are scheduled days for either Professional Development (PD) for staff, Time In Lieu (TIL) days where staff have worked overtime, or school closures where no one is at school.
| Monday | 1st | September | - Online Father's Day Stall gift orders close. |
| Wednesday | 3rd | September | - Pupil Free Day |
| Thursday | 4th | September |
- Father's Day Event - Father's Day Stall |
| Friday | 5th | September | - Book Week Dress Up Day |
| Thursday | 11th&12th | September | - Grade 4 Camp |
| Thursday | 18th | September | - Last Day Term 3 (3:20 PM finish) |
| Monday | 6th | October | - First Day of Term 4 for all students |
| Monday | 13th | October | - Andrew Chinn at school and concert |
| Tuesday & Wednesday | 14th & 15th | October | - Parent Teacher Meetings |
| Tuesday | 21st | October | - Columba Expo Open Night |
| Monday | 3rd | November | - SCHOOL CLOSURE |
| Tuesday | 4th | November | - Melbourne Cup Public Holiday |
| Thursday | 6th | November | - Prep Information Evening (2026 Preps) |
| Tuesday | 11th | November | - Remembrance Day |
| Tuesday | 13th` | November | - Grandparents Day |
| Thursday | 13th | November | - Sacrament of Reconciliation - grade 3 |
| Friday | 21st | November | - Colour Run |
| Thursday | 4th | December | - Grade 6 Graduation 5pm-9pm |
| Wednesday | 10th | December | - End of Year Mass |
| Thursday | 11th | December | - Christmas Fundraiser - Movie Night |
| Friday | 12th | December | - Grade 6 Gumbuya World (big day out) |
| Tuesday | 16th | December | - Grade 6 Guard of Honour |
| Thursday | 18th | December | - Last Day of Term 4 & 2025 (3:20 PM finish) |
