Dear Families

On Thursday Columba staff came together for a Professional Development day. The goal for this day was to build further capacity for staff in teaching Literacy, specifically the structure and content of the literacy block. As a staff we have been working on how we can continue to grow as a team, to ensure we make small improvements each day when creating the learning environment and experiences we provide for our students.

While we know that the teaching of literacy at Columba continues to be excellent, underpinned by hard work, expertise, collaboration and enormous effort, we know that no one is ever perfect and that there are always ways we can improve.

It has been from this want to improve that the staff at Columba have developed our school mantra,

Challenged to be Curious

and Courageous

As a collective, this mantra was developed over 6 months with all staff reflecting on how we could bring to life our School Vision and our own values on what we believe are the most important skills and dispositions our students need to be successful in our world. We all took a long time to percolate and deliberate over many words that were important to us, but it is the words in our motto that we know will best remind us all of what we want for our children.

On Thursday, this Mantra was front of mind in all that we explored in the teaching of literacy at Columba. We know that as staff will continue to encourage our students to be challenged in all that do to be the best they can be. That our students will be provided with learning environments which support them to be curious in their learning. That our students will be courageous by asking questions, speaking up for others that need help or understanding their own learning needs and putting in the hard work to choose the challenge to improve.

Again, thank you to the entire school community for making alternate arrangement for your children on this day. We know it takes many to allow our staff to have a day together.

Take care everyone

Andrew Greco

SCHOOL UNIFORM

A reminder to all families that we ask students to be in correct school uniform each day. All Columba students need to be dressed in full winter uniform which includes

black leather school shoes or all black runners. A school softshell jacket or blue or black jacket of any brand/shop. We also ask that students wear 1 of three beanies to school.

The school beanie which is supplied at our uniform shop
A plain navy blue beanie
A fight MND beanie

All three are acceptable school uniform. On Monday's we do allow students to wear their 'sports team' colours if they had a win on the weekend.

Community Event Opportunity

BUNYIP KINDER

Re St Vincent de Paul Winter Appeal.

Dear Columba Families,

I am writing on behalf of the Koo Wee Rup and Iona/Maryknoll conference of the St Vincent de Paul Society to express our sincere gratitude for the support that teachers, parents, and students have showed during our recent winter appeal.

The winter ‘tinnie’s for Vinnies’ collection has resulted in the substantial supply of canned soup, canned vegetables, canned fruit, baked beans and spaghetti and other items, that we can distribute to the poor and needy over the next couple of months.

Our store room is well stocked and the people that we support appreciate the goods and gifts that you have provided. We are always working to support those in need and you’re ongoing support is appreciated.

There will be a certificate of appreciation forwarded in due course.

May the peace of Christ be with you all.

Yours faithfully

Deborah Kerr

Deborah Kerr; President Koo Wee Rup & Iona/Maryknoll Conference,

Saint Vincent de Paul Society.

This term we are able to welcome Father Avinash, parishioners and families to school to celebrate Mass with us. The times and location are below.

Columba Multipurpose Room 9:15am

Wednesday 3rd August 'Senior level Mass'
Wednesday 17th August 'Junior level Mass'
Wednesday 14th September 'Foundation level Mass'

All parents and friends are welcome.

School Prayer

New Columba Cool Room!

In striving to support all students and all different learning needs at Columba, we have put together a cool room for students who need some time out when struggling with their emotions at school, or who may need a quite place to gather their thoughts during recess or lunchtime.

The Columba Cool Room is a screen free zone with plenty of 'chill out' activities all different students can engage in. It is staffed at recess and lunch when needed. By providing this space, we can support students to self-regulate their emotions and give them life long habits that will help them regulate their emotions in the future.

Thank you to al that have worked to have this space available.

Assembly

Friday 5th August

Our next assembly will be on

Friday 5th August.

It will be held in our new Learning Centre.

Assembly will begin at 2:20pm.

All families and friends are welcome to attend.

FAIRNESS AWARDS

Well done to all our Award Winners at our last Assembly. The award was for showing Fairness while at school.

CYBERSAFETY EDUCATION AT COLUMBA

Over the last two weeks, ALL students will be working with our partners INFORM and EMPOWER on Cybersafety Education.

Our F-2 Students will be building understating in

Our 3-4 Students will be building understating in

Our 5-6 Students will be building understating in

We have worked with Inform and Empower each term and this is the third session our students will experience this year. We know that all our children will develop skills and understanding that will continue to educate them in being safe online.

NEXT SCHOOL CLOSURES

Monday 31st October

Wednesday 9th November

Last Day for students 2022 - Friday 16th December

PARENT INVITATION!

In 2022, we have entered our senior students into the Lions Club Public Speaking Competition. Many students have written and delivered speeches during class with this year's theme 'someone important in our history'.

On Monday 1st August, students will be competing against each other in our Multipurpose Room. The Drouin Lion's Club will be facilitating the event with Father Avinash and Columba staff judging. The winners will present their speeches at a Lion's Club dinner, and will be competing against other schools.

We are inviting all Columba Parents and friends to the event. Speeches will begin at 10am in the Multipurpose Room. We are hopeful parents are able to attend and celebrate the hard work and talent many of our students have as public speakers.

EVENT DETAILS

Location - Multipurpose Room

Time - 10am

Date - Monday 1st August

Stronger Standards, safer children

Victoria’s Child Safe Standards are a set of mandatory requirements to protect children and young people from harm and abuse.

The Child Safe Standards (the Standards) commenced in Victoria in January 2016. After six years, we have seen how the Standards improve safety for children and young people.

Changes have been made to make the Standards even stronger. The new Child Safe Standards came into force on 1 July 2022 and organisations now need to comply with these new Standards.

The new Child Safe Standards

There are now 11 Standards, which include new requirements such as:

involving families and communities in organisations’ efforts to keep children and young people safe
a greater focus on safety for Aboriginal children and young people
managing the risk of child abuse in online environments.

Victoria has over five years’ experience of mandatory Standards, so many organisations will already have well developed child safety frameworks. Most organisations will need to make some changes to comply with the new Standards.

The new Standards are outlined in the information sheet below.

What does this mean for Columba?

We are currently working very hard to ensure all our policies and procedures are inline with the new 11 Child Safe Standards. Over the next month, you will see changes to our school web page, specifically our policies and Child Safe sections.

We are developing ways of being more culturally sensitive through the school and working to develop procedures that involve the community in the safety of our children

We have also appointed a new Child Safe Champion, Kate Muccignat. Kate is a brilliant prep teacher but one of many Columba staff who believe keeping our children safe should be the priority for all of us. We know that Kate will do an amazing job as another key part of the Columba Leadership Team.

For more information, please visit the Commission for Young People CHILD SAFE STANDARDS Website

Addy Norrie – WORLD’S GREATEST SHAVE

Hi there!

My name is Addy and I am a student attending Columba Catholic Primary School.

I'm on a mission to save the world from blood cancer, and I need YOUR HELP!

I'm sacrificing my locks to help Aussie families facing blood cancer.

Will you step up and donate to me as I take on World's Greatest Shave?

Your donation will provide families facing blood cancer with the special care they need to make it through every scary, uncertain moment that follows a diagnosis.

It will also help brilliant research scientists continue their search for better ways to diagnose and treat blood cancer more effectively.

Every day over 50 Australians are diagnosed with a blood cancer.

I'm on a mission to change that.

I have have raised over $500 so far and would love to donate $500 more. Every bit counts!

Will you help by donating? Just click here:

https://secure.leukaemiafoundation.org.au/registrant/FundraisingPage.aspx?RegistrationID=867255

SCHOOL FEES & CONCESSIONS

Term 1 & Term 2 fees are now overdue, please ensure payment is made at your earliest convenience.

If any families would like to set up a weekly, fortnightly or monthly direct debit schedule for school fees. For any assistance regarding calculations of payments, please contact us via email on: finance@bunyip.catholic.edu.au.

For any families that have recently received a Government means-tested health care concession card, please forward a copy of your card to the office to check your eligibility, as a fee concession may apply. The card must be in the name of the parent/fee payer for a fee concession to apply.

If your current Health Care card is due to expire this year and your card is re-issued, please send a copy of your new card details to the office as soon as possible for the concession to be checked and applied for next year's fees, if not already done so.