Dear Parents,

This week was a special week. It was during this week that opportunity was given to our senior students to show courage. Courage to challenge themselves to lead and represent others. Courage to 'have a go' even when they were unsure whether they would succeed and courage to just be themselves. For some of those students, they were rewarded with a House Captain position but for me, they were all winners. Winners in that they were gracious and humble in their appointments, disappointed but gracious of those were unsuccessful. 

We know as a community that this does not happen by accident. It is your work as parents in guiding your children through disappointments and times of joy. Giving them opportunity to be involved with community groups outside of school, learning to win, learning to lose. It is the hard work of our teaching staff who help our students develop the care, love, kindness, confidence and resiliance that we work on with our students every day. This week is a clear example of why we do it. Why we as adults care for our children and why we are unrelenting in wanting the best for the students and children in our care.

At the start of the year, it is a nice opportunity to remind families of the values we hold most true and work to instill in our community. Columba works hard to establish, evaluate and maintain a high standard of School Wide Expectations for all it's staff and students. At Columba we know that when all members of the school community work collaboratively and each child has the opportunity to fully participate and engage in the process of learning, success will follow.

Respect

“So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets". - Matthew 7:12

Perseverance

Alcott House - Named After Dylan Alcott

"For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised". -Herbrews 10:36

Inspiration

Freeman House - Named after Cathy Freeman

Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing". -Thessalonianss 5:11

Generosity

Hollows House - Named after Fred Hollows

Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you. - LUKE 6:37–38

Fairness

MacKillop House - Named after Mary MacKillop

Blessed are they who observe justice, who do righteousness at all times! - Psalm 106:3

Take Care

Andrew Greco

Principal

Parent-Teacher Conferences will be held on Tuesday 21st March and Wednesday 15th March. The conferences will be 10 minutes each. All meetings will be at school in your child's classrooms.

All bookings should be made using our school's online booking system. The link to make a booking is below. The purpose of these meetings is to touch base with parents regarding

- Your child's transition to 2023

- Any new or existing learning behaviours that need to be discussed

- Clarification for parents/teachers on student learning

Bookings are availbe using the link below

Learning Leaders will soon be contacting families of those children who require a PSG (Program Support Meeting) rather tahna Parent-Teacher Meeting.

BOOK HERE

School Photographs 2023 

Annual school photos will be taken on  Monday, 6 March 2023.

Students are to be in full school uniform.

PRE-ORDER ONLINE (orders close at 5:00 pm on the day prior)

See the packages available and place your pre-order online.

To place your order Go to our website or scan the QR code;

www.spargophoto.com.au

Select> School Photo Pack Orders

Enter your School Access Key: BP3ZEG9U

Select the pack you want and complete the form.

Sibling photos are available for families with multiple children attending the school.

Sibling photos must be ordered online before 5pm the day prior.

** A complimentary family/sibling photograph is available for families who order an individual pack for 3 for more children at the same school. To be eligible, you must order all the individual packs first and then add the family photograph to the same shopping cart. The discount will be automatically applied.

Place your order online before 5pm the day prior, you do not need to return any paperwork.

If you have any inquiries, please contact SPARGP PHOTOGRAHY on (03) 5942 5234

This year Naplan will take place for all grade 3 and grade 5 students between the 15th -27th of March.
Teachers are currently preparing their children to sit the online testing via their iPads at school on the dates listed above.
If parents or carers are aware that their child/children will be away or absent for any part of the NAPLAN testing this year, 

it is really important that you notify us at school on 56295933 or via email on principal@bunyip.catholic.edu.au
Attached above is a parent information sheet that outlines the Naplan expectations and responibilities of schools and parents. 

Please click on and read this information sheet carefully.

NAPLAN_Information_for_parents_and_carers_2023.pdf

Thanks for your ongoing support in the partnership of learning at Columba

We need your HELP!

After School Pickup Reminders

Just a reminder to parents that our school start time is 8.50am. School gates will be open from 8.30am and students will be supervised whilst on the yard. This allows all parents a twenty minute window of opportunity to drop students off each morning. Students should not be left at school unsupervised before 8:30am.

All gates will be locked at 9am as all learning through the school will start at this time. If the gates are locked, you must sign your child in through the school office. We ask that you do not send your child into admin after 9am without an adult, as children cannot sign themselves in.

School finishes at 3.20pm and parents need to collect their children before 3.40pm. Children will be supervised by staff. This allows parents a 20 minute window of opportunity for pick up of your child.

If you are running late for collecting your child, please make the effort to contact the school to let us know, as all teaching staff are required to attend Staff Meetings and Professional Learning on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 3.45pm to 4.45pm.

OSHCLUB run before and after school care at Bunyip Primary School Monday - Fridays and parents can set up a booking account by going into their online website parent portal located at https://www.oshclub.com.au/ or phone 1300 395 735.

A bus leaves from Columba at the end of every day that takes many children to OSHCLUB (After School Care). A teacher puts every child on the bus and they are picked up by OSHCLUB directly off the bus at Bunyip Primary

Please see the traffic management map link below. This map is for after school pick-up, which can be a busy time in the school. I ask all adults picking children up please follow these guidelines. If everyone works together we can keep everyone safe and get everyone home within 15minutes each day.

After School Pick-up PARENT MAP 2023

We thank you for your ongoing support with school drop off and pick up.

School Fees and Concessions 2023

Please contact the school office if you need to discuss your 2023 school fee payment. All school fees for 2022 are overdue. Term 1 2023 school fee statements will be emailed shortly.

???? DO YOU QUALIFY FOR A SCHOOL FEE DISCOUNT ????

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 you qualify for this, please contact the school as school fees will be considerably less for your family.

If any families would like to set up a weekly, fortnightly, or monthly direct debit schedule for school fees, please complete the Direct Debit Form below and return it to the school office.  For any assistance regarding calculations of payments, please contact us via email at: finance@bunyip.catholic.edu.au

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.

For more FEE INFORMATION please visit our website

https://bunyip.catholic.edu.au/school-fees-and-levies

2023 School Fees Concession Program Financial Hardship

Eligible Centrelink Concession Card (CCC) Holder

Information for Applicants

Aim: To assist school families experiencing financial hardship in accessing a Catholic Primary education for their child/children.

Confidentiality: At all times, the dignity and privacy of those seeking a fee concession will be respected.

Level of Concession:  School office staff can advise applicants of the concessional fee to be charged. This concessional fee is fixed annually by Diocese of Sale Catholic Education Limited. Approved applicants will be charged only the concessional fee which will cover all standard school fees and levies including any charges remaining for camps, sports and excursions after the application of the Camps, Sports, Excursion Fund (CSEF) benefit.

Eligible Concession Cards:  Centrelink issues a number of concession cards for a variety of reasons. Some cards have a generous or no income test and therefore holders of these cards are ineligible for a fee concession under Category One. Only CCC’s that are eligible for CSEF are eligible for the School Fees Concession Program. 

The following CCC’s are the most common cards that are eligible for CSEF. The CCC type is specified as a two or three letter code printed on the concession card.

• YA or YAL – Youth Allowance
• PPS – Parenting Payment Single
• PPP – Parenting Payment Partnered
• DSP – Disability Support Pension
• NSA – New Start Allowance
• LI – Low Income
• FA – Family Tax Benefit
• SA or SKA - Sickness Allowance
• CAR - Carer Allowance
• ABA or ABY - Schooling Applicant
• AGE - Age Pension
• AUS - Austudy
• HCC - Health Care Card
• PTA - Partnered Allowance
• SPL - Special Benefit
• WID or WFD or WFA – Widow Allowance/Pension
• The CCC must be issued in the name of the fee payer and list the students for which the concession is to be applied.
• The expiry date of the card must be on or after 1 January of the year (2023) for which the concession is to be applied.
• If an eligible concession card expires after the start of the year, the concessional fee rate will still be applied for the entire year.
• If a family becomes eligible during the course of a school year, then a pro-rata concession may be granted.

Lodgement of Application: Application for 2023 close on Friday 23rd June 2023, please lodge your application immediately for your card to be checked and a pro-rata concession to be applied if applicable.

The following application forms must be completed and are available from the school office:

• Complete the school’s application form & the Direct Debit Request (DDR) Service Agreement (or Centrepay application form)
• Submit the completed forms and present a valid CCC for verifying and copying.
• Complete and return the CSEF application form immediately after receiving it from the school.

Important Notes:

• The concession is automatic for a parent/guardian responsible for the school fees, who holds an eligible CCC.
• Any offer of a concession is subject to the applicant entering into a DDR Service Agreement or CentrePay arrangement for a regular payment plan of remaining fees (either weekly or fortnightly payments preferred). Any default in payment may result in the concession being withdrawn.
• The Direct Debit form is available from the school office or alternatively the CentrePay application form is available online at https://www.humanservices.gov.au/customer/forms/sa325.
• A CSEF application must be submitted for a concession to be granted.
• A new application must be made for each school year.
• Where the fee account is split, the concession applies to only that portion payable by the eligible card holder.
• All families requesting, or receiving, a fee concession must notify the school should their financial circumstances change sufficiently to affect the level of concession offered or if cards are cancelled.

CONVEYANCE ALLOWANCE

Eligibility:

An application on behalf of a student may be submitted if the student is:

• a Victorian resident;
• school aged and enrolled (3) three or more days per week at a school; and

A student who meets the above requirements may be eligible if they:

• attend their nearest appropriate non-government school/campus
• reside 4.8km or more by the shortest practicable route from the school attended

Note: Eligibility is assessed when the School completes your child’s application on the Student Conveyance Allowance System

(SCAS). If approved, the allowance payable is based on the one-way distance to make the journey to and from school.

If you are eligible and wish to apply for this allowance, please click the link to the Conveyance Allowance Application Form, which must be printed and completed and returned to the school office by Friday 10^th March, 2023. Late claims cannot be accepted.

Conveyance allowance rates - Money You Get Back

Private car conveyance allowance rates

Distance (kilometres)	Amount paid annually
4.8 to 10	$450.18
10 to 15	$563.24
15 to 20	$675.17
20 to 25	$788.33
25 to 30	$900.26
30 to 35	$1,011.16
>35	$1,126.37
Additional student	$225.19
Next nearest school (government schools only)	$337.74
Next nearest additional student (government schools only)	$168.82

Private bus conveyance allowance rates

Distance (kilometres)	Amount paid annually
4.8 to 10	$506.15
10 to 15	$619.31
15 to 20	$731.24
20 to 25	$844.19
25 to 30	$956.33
30 to 35	$1,069.28
>35	$1,182.44

FORM - Conveyance Allowance - Bus Private travel

FORM - Conveyance Allowance application - Private Car travel only