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Columba Catholic Primary School Acknowledges the Bunurong Peoples’ of the Kulin Nation as Traditional Owners and Custodians and pay respects 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.
Dear Parents and guardians,
As we look back at World Teachers Day celebrated on Friday 25th October, I want to take a moment to express my gratitude and appreciation for the incredible educators who make make a massive difference in the lives of our children each and every day.
Being World Teachers Day, it is a chance to ackoweldge and celebrate their dedication, passion, and unwavering commitment to our students. I am privledged to observe many of them go above and beyond to create a nurturing and inclusive learning environment where every child feels valued and has grown a sense of belonging.
Teachers play a vital role in shaping the future of our community. They are the unsung heroes who work tirelessly to improve the life chances of so many of our little people. Let us continue to celebrate their invaluable contributions and support their ongoing professional development.
On behalf of the Bunyip community, I extend my sincere thanks to all of our dedicated teachers. Your hard work and dedication do not go unnoticed.
Halloween
Halloween can be fun for young and old. Some years ago, there was a lot of grumbling about importing this American custom but the smiles and laughter of
the children visiting the homes for Trick or Treat removed many a frown and silenced many a grumble (mine included). A couple of years ago, even pouring rain did not dampen the visitors’ enthusiasm. Last year, a group even came in a bus! I wonder how many know the origins of this day?
Halloween can be traced back to medieval Christianity. The word hallow is derived from the Middle and Old English words for holy. As a noun, it was also used for saint so All Saints' Day was also called All Hallows' Day. The evening before that feast
day was All Hallows' Eve and that name eventually got shortened to Halloween.
During the 4th century, in Rome celebrations honouring the Christian martyrs
and saints were held on this day. Various popes over the centuries changed the date until Pope Gregory IV added All Saints' Day to the universal Christian calendar, officially extending the celebration from Rome to churches everywhere. November 2nd became All Souls’ Day on which we remember all those who have died and gone to their place of rest. For Pope Francis, the two celebrations, All Saints’ and All Souls', “remind us of the bond that exists between the earthly and heavenly Church, between us and our loved ones who passed on to the next life.”
So where did the monsters and ghosts come from? The ancient Celts, who were polytheists, celebrated the festival of Samhain on November 1st as that day marked a pivotal time of year when seasons changed. The long summer days had gone and the long, cold wintry nights were upon them once again. They believed the boundary between this world and the next became especially thin at this time, enabling
them to connect with the dead. This is also where the history of Halloween gains its "haunted" connotations. They believed that during the night of November 1st, demons, witches, and evil spirits roamed the earth freely to greet the arrival of “their
season”— the long nights and early dark of the winter months. The demons had their fun with mortals that night, frightening, harming, and even playing all kinds of tricks on them. The only way, it seemed, for scared humans to escape the persecution of the demons was to offer them things they liked, especially fancy foods and sweets. Or, in order to escape the antics of these demons, a human could disguise himself as one of them and join in their roaming.
Today it can be a controversial celebration – some see it as pagan, even promoting false beliefs, promoting a negative culture about death and the dead, which is at odds with the Christian view. Others bemoan its heavy commercialisation.
It can be all of that but it can also be a time for:
• Reflection and prayer as we recall the lives of those we call saints, we give thanks for their courage, their perseverance, their generosity, their example. In Pope Francis’ words: Remembering the Saints leads us to raise our eyes to Heaven: not to forget the realities of the earth, but to face them with greater courage and hope.
• Rejoicing in the goodness of creation, in the joy of being alive, in the gift of family,
companions and friends.
• Giving thanks for those who have gone before. We believe that, in some way, we
are still connected, still part of their lives and they ours. Pope Benedict wrote: “We believe that the ties of friendship and affection which knit us as one throughout our lives do not unravel with death.” It can be a reminder that we owe so much to those who came before us and Halloween invites us to pray for them, to give thanks for the gift they have been.
A prayer for Halloween Visits:
God of ancient times and God of our times, bless all the people we will be visiting tonight. May we be good news to them and may our visit bring comfort, happiness and laughter.
As we celebrate this special Feast of All Hallows God, the giver of hope, we trust in you, and we give thanks for the faith, the hope and the courage of those we call saints. Fill us too with joy and peace, so that we may have a living hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Regards
Jim Quillinan
Email: jquillinan@dcsi.net.au
Amen.
What is Reconciliation?
Every time we sin, we hurt ourselves, other people and God. In Reconciliation, we acknowledge our sins before God and the Church. We express our sorrow in a meaningful way, receive the forgiveness of Christ and his Church, make reparation for what we have done, and resolve to do better in the future.
The forgiveness of sins involves four parts:
- Contrition: A sincere sorrow for having offended God, and a firm resolve not to repeat our sin.
- Confession: Confronting our sins in a profound way to God by speaking them aloud to the priest.
- Penance: An important part of our healing is the penance the priest gives us in reparation for our sins.
- Absolution: The priest speaks the words by which we are reconciled to God and are absolved from our sins.
Friday 22nd November
_______________
There will be no school assembly on Friday 8th & 15th November as we will be holding our school leadership day & athletics sports.
The next whole school assembly will be held on
Friday 22nd November - week 7:
RESPECT ASSEMBLY
Parents & families are always
welcome to our assemblies!
Congratulations to our award winners from last week's whole school assembly on the theme of Inspration.
Cricket At Columba
Who's looking after the CHOOKS!
The students in grade 5/6 have been learning about matter, and the four states of matter that exist: liquids, solids, gases and plasma.
We have learnt that everything in the world exists of matter, and that the building blocks of matter are atoms. Students have completed a three week Reading to Learn unit on this, and continue to explore this in real life applications through our inquiry. We have made model representations of the different states of matter and how they transform when certain elements are applied.
Students applied their learning to create their own model out of plasticine, and attempted to explain through a presentation aimed at younger students, how the atoms are structured and work to create the various states of matter.
In 2 week’s time we are going to Scienceworks to watch ‘Cool Stuff’, a live demonstration on Chemistry. We hope to use what we learn from this to edit our own presentations and then get into the younger grades in the coming weeks when these are finalised. But for now, here is a snapshot of some of our models!
Dear Parents,
We are excited to announce our upcoming Athletics Day, scheduled for Friday the 15th of November. This event is a wonderful opportunity for our students to showcase their skills, teamwork, and sportsmanship.
To make this day a success, we are seeking enthusiastic volunteers to help with various tasks, including setting up, organizing events, and ensuring everything runs smoothly. Your support would be greatly appreciated!
If you are available to lend a hand, please email dsharpe@bunyip.catholic.edu.au
Thank you for your support in making Athletics Day a memorable experience for our students!
Warm regards,
Danielle Sharpe
Sports Co-ordinator
Grade 6 Jackets
2025
After a vote by the current grade 5 students at the beginning of term, the design for the bomber jackets for 2025 has been decided upon. We are looking to order these by the end of the school year so they are available to students on the first day of Term 1 next year.
The price per item is approximately $53.00 but is subject to change depending on how many items are ordered. The jackets will need to be paid for at the beginning of the 2025 school year
Please note we cannot accept payment before then. When the time comes, this can be done over the phone using EFTPOS or paying by EFTPOS in person at the office. The students cannot receive their jacket until payment is made.
As the bomber jackets will be worn most of autumn, winter and spring in 2025, it is
recommended you purchase a size up to allow for your child’s growth over the next 12-18 months.
The current grade 6 students have kindly allowed the grade 5’s to try on their jackets to get an indication of size, so please have a chat with your child about sizing, and consult the link below if in doubt.
Please email Tory Parker: tparker@bunyip.catholic.edu.au with your intent to purchase and your child’s size by Friday 6th December.
Sizing:
Standard Kid’s Sizes from 6-12
Adults range from XXXS-XXXL
Size Chart available here –
https://www.bodenclothing.com.au/en-au/childrens-size-and-fit-chart
Thank you and with kind regards,
Senior School Teachers
2024_Grade_6_Bomber_Jackets_Letter_1_.pdf
Thanks to the entire Parents and Friends group for their fund-raising efforts. Because of your efforts, we have been able to purchase much-needed sports equipment. Our school now boasts a brand-new set of hurdles, athletics resources, basketballs, lacrosse sets, and footballs. These resources will undoubtedly enhance our students' physical education experiences and provide them with opportunities to develop their athletic skills.
We could not have achieved all that we have without your support. Thank you so so much!
2024 Dates
Pupil Free Days - NO STUDENTS 2024
Columba provides all families with access to before and after school care through DS Sports.
Our Before and After school care program is facilitated on site in our Multi-purpose Room before and after school
DS Sports are now taking Before and After School care enrolments for 2025!
ALL THE INFO YOU NEED IS IN THE FLYER BELOW!
Below is a downloadeable flyer with all the information you need to know regarding DS Sports Before & After School Care
