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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.
"Wakali Waraa - Rise Up and Shine"
by artist Saretta Fielding
Wonnarua Country - Upper Hunter Valley
"Wakali Waraa shares the story of Maitland Christian School and Arise Christian College and their commitment to a Christ-centred learning environment supporting students to grow spiritually and academically. The design brings acknowledgment to the Wonnarua people, as initial God-placed custodians of the area and welcomes all to country through traditional symbolism in contemporary design.
Wakali Waraa celebrates doing life together at our schools, in community, on traditional Wonnarua lands, helping students to reach their potential and rise up and shine in their lives for Jesus." - Saretta Fielding.
Dear Parents and guardians,
Welcome to the new school year! Whether you're joining the Columba family for the first time or have been with us for years, you are welcome and welcome back. We're so pleased to have your family as part of our school community for 2025.
The start of a new year is always exciting. We welcome new students and staff.
It was a delight last week to meet and work with 3 new staff members. Each one is a testament to God’s goodness and generosity in providing passionate, equipped, and dedicated individuals to serve our school.
I officially welcome
Connor Hinds - Grade 3 teacher
Meg Watts - Admin/Office Finance
Morgan Harris - Learning Support Staff
We also welcomed back our entire staff last week for professional learning and preparation. They have prepared to ensure we are ready for the school year. Their commitment and work over the holidays to be ready for the 2025 year is appreciated, and I thank all Columba staff for their efforts.
Finally, I thank all parents and guardians for your efforts in preparing yourselves and your children for a positive start to the 2025 school year. A special welcome to our new Columba families! If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask. Teachers, administration staff, leaders, and other parents/guardians are happy to assist.
Catholic Identity
Columba Catholic Primary School is a Catholic primary school. We are about the development of the whole child; spiritually, academically, physically, emotionally and socially. We seek to prepare all our students for a life beyond school and we want to support all our students to develop the skills to be active and connected, life-long learners.
Could I please ask the following of all our Columba parents?
SUPPORT YOUR CHILD’S FAITH JOURNEY WHILST AT COLUMBA
Please embrace us as a Catholic School of action. Make an effort to attend Mass with your child on weekends. Make an effort to pray to God each day with your child. Make an effort to support your child in their Sacramental journey. Make an effort to use Christ as a role model to your children.
SHOW YOUR CHILD THAT YOU VALUE EDUCATION
It really helps if you show interest in your child’s learning. For example, when you see your child after school, ask them for 3 positives about their day. What they have learned today? What did they do in class? What did they do during play? Don’t be shrugged off too easily; deep down, even if they roll their eyes, they will be grateful you care enough to ask, and recalling what they learnt will help them remember it in future. Do your best to attend every school event relevant to them and most importantly please ensure that your child is at school on time for the beginning of each day. At Columba everyday of learning counts for our kids.
KEEP IN TOUCH WITH YOUR CHILD’S TEACHER AND BUILD A POSITIVE RELATIONSHIP
Let us know how things are for you and your child, especially through your child’s class teacher or our Deputy Principal or Principal. It is particularly important for us to know if concerns arise, so that we can work with you to help your child. When parents, students and teachers work together, the young people benefit significantly and the learning partnership should create a wonderful year of learning and growth.
ALWAYS DRIVE SLOWLY AND CAREFULLY WHEN ENTERING OUR SCHOOL
Please adhere to an 8km speed limit within our school when dropping off and picking up. We will publish the correct procedures for both our carlines in this newsletter. I ask that everyone is patient and kind to each other in the morning at when picking up their children. While it seems like a time of chaos, the end of day pick-up is in fact a well oiled machine and almost all children and parents have completed drop off by 3:30 (10 minutes).
SCHOOL CROSSINGS
If your child uses the crossing, please remind them to only cross the road at the crossings. We have had some near misses over the years and only when children are not using the correct crossings.
COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS
Good communication between school and home is essential. We use multiple channels, including email, telephone, and face-to-face communication. Here are three important systems, especially for new families:
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SZAPP: We ask all parents to sign up for SZAPP. This is our primary communication tool besides email, used to send school messages and alerts. It's vital for all parents to use SZAPP to stay up-to-date. SZAPP is available from your app store. [Link to SZAPP Installation Guide]
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PAM (Parent Access Module): PAM provides online access to various functions and information specific to your child. It also allows you to provide medical details, give permission for excursions and activities, and notify the school of absences. [Link to PAM Help Instructions] [Link to PAM Website] Our parent access module is set up with the primary email address listed on the enrollment form. Families can have more than one PAM account; please contact us if you need assistance. You can use "Forgot Password" to reset your password or try the generic password "password" (and then update it after logging in).
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Social Media (Facebook & Instagram): Our school has Facebook and Instagram pages to provide a window into daily school life. These are great for receiving up-to-date information on events, as well as seeing wonderful images and clips of learning in action.
- Email - the best way to communicate with teachers and staff is email. It ensures they receive your message but also gives staff time to respond. Staff will respond within a 24 hour period. Staff are not expected to return any family communication after 6pm (Please see our class newsletters for teacher contact details further down in this newsletter)
COLUMBA POLICIES - How We Do Things Around Here
Families can find important policies on our website
If you can't find a specific policy or procedure, please contact the school office at 03 5629 5933.
STUDENT ACCIDENT INSURANCE
As of 2025, Columba has insurance to support families with out-of-pocket expenses if their child is injured at school. Coverage applies to any time a student is engaged in school or organized sporting activities, including travel to and from these activities. Our Student Accident Protection Plan provides benefits for specific scenarios and incidents. If your child is injured at school, please work with our admin team to ensure communication is maintained and support is provided.
STUDENT PHOTOS
School photos are scheduled for Monday, March 3rd. Information on ordering photos will be sent through the newsletter and SZAPP shortly.
Together with all Columba staff, I look forward to partnering with you to provide a nurturing school environment that helps us all thrive.
Regards
Andrew Greco
Principal
Sacramental Dates 2025
| Saturday | 22nd | February |
Eucharist Commitment Mass - 6:00 PM St. James, NNG |
| Sunday | 23rd | February |
Eucharist Commitment Mass- 11:00 AM St. Joseph's, Iona |
| Wednesday | 5th | March | Eucharist Workshop - 5:30-6:30 PM at (TBC) |
| Thursday | 6th | March | Eucharist Workshop - 5:30-6:30 PM at (TBC) |
| Saturday | 29th | March | Eucharist Sacrament - 6:00 PM St. James, NNG |
| Sunday | 30th | March |
Eucharist Sacrament - 11:00 AM St. Jospeh's, Iona |
TERM 1 Class Newsletters
At Columba, we belive that sending a newsletter to parents each term about their child's class is important for several reasons, all contributing to a stronger parent-teacher partnership and improved student outcomes:
Transparency and Open Communication: Regular class updates foster transparency between the school and home. Parents are kept informed about their child's academic progress, eliminating surprises at the end of the term or school year. This open communication builds trust and encourages dialogue between parents and teachers.
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Facilitating Goal Setting: Termly class updates can be a springboard for discussions about academic goals. Parents and students can work together to set realistic and achievable targets for the next term, based on the current grades and areas for improvement.
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Supporting Parent Involvement: When parents are informed about their child's class, they are better equipped to support their learning at home. They can ask specific questions about their child's progress, offer help with challenging subjects, and provide encouragement and motivation.
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Creating a Collaborative Partnership: Sharing class news through newsletters strengthens the partnership between parents and teachers. It creates a shared understanding of the student's academic work, enabling both parties to work together to support the child's success.
Please note that our class newsletters should not be the only form of communication between parents and teachers. They are part of a broader strategy that includes parent-teacher conferences, email communication, phone calls, and other forms of interaction.
The next school assembly will be held on
FRIDAY 21st Feb 2:20 PM
in the Multi-Purpose Room
Senior Assembly - grades 3,4,5,6
Prayer led by grade 4H
Parents & families are always welcome to our assemblies!
Lunch Orders
Lunch orders will be back for 2025!
The first day for lunch orders in 2025 will be
Monday 3rd February.
CDFpay parent announcement
Good News: New CDFpay mobile app available to download
Columba will be using the new CDFpay mobile app for online canteen ordering, uniform shop, events, fundraising, and over-the-counter purchases at our school from the start of Term 1 2025.
FLexiSchools is now on CDF Pay!
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
Important:
- You will not be able to use your existing CDFpay credentials to log in to the new CDFpay mobile app. You will need to follow these steps to create a new CDFpay account (you can use the same email address if desired).
- Register for a new CDFpay account before the start of Term 1 2025 and we will transfer any remaining balance on your account before the end of March 2025.
- Enter and confirm your email address, then click ‘Sign up’.
- Check your email inbox and follow the prompts to complete your account registration (check junk/spam if lost).
After you have registered and entered
your child’s details, you can:
- Top up your parent wallet and set daily spend limits for your child.
- To avoid card surcharges, top up $50 or more using a debit card or bank transfer any value.
- Order and pay in seconds!
Have questions?
View CDFpay powered by Flexischools Help & Support for detailed FAQs or chat to the Flexischools Digital Assistant. If you cannot find what you are looking for, please complete the on-line Contact Form and Flexischools will get back to you directly.
NOT GETTING SZAPP ALERTS?
You might not be subscribed to your child's Grade level page.
Please see the instructions below on how you can ensure you are getting whole school notifications and grade specific notifications
https://www.schoolzine.com/installing-szapp/
SZAPP is the only form of communication Columba uses to contact parents regarding school events, whole school and class information.
All newsletters are sent through the SZAPP also.
Please note that when SZAPP alerts are sent, it will send two messages at the same time,
- 1 message to the email you signed up with
- 1 message to your SZAPP which should be installed on your phone
SZAPP is essential if you want to keep up to date with what going on at Columba
SCHOOL ASSEMBLIES
As our student numbers have grown quickly and the physical a classroom spaces have stayed the same, we will now have assemblies in our senior and junior school teams.
The first Prep, Grade 1 and Grade 2 Assembly will be on Friday 7th February at 2:20pm in the Multi-purpose Room.
The first Grades 3, 4, 4/5 & Grades 5/6 Assembly will be on Friday 21st February at 2:20pm in the Multi-purpose Room.
We will also continue to hold a flag raising assembly each Monday morning. These assemblies will be held on the basketball courts. Our first Flag Raising Assembly will be on Monday 3rd February.
SCHOOL START TIMES
PARENT TRAFFIC
We continue to work on creating more car park space for our families. I have attached a traffic map to this message to remind us all how to tackle the drop off and pick-ups in the morning. I am hopeful this will also help our new families.
After_School_Pickup_PARENT_MAP_2024.pdf
(I know it is last years but nothing has changed :)
Below are a set of guidelines that I know will help keep the car park safe.
COLUMBA CAR PARK GUIDELINES
- Any car leaving the car park MUST leave driving forward.
- After 3:20pm NO CAR IS TO REVERSE FOR ANY REASON
- Patience and courtesy are compulsory.
- Under no circumstances should anyone drive into the Car park Exit.
- As the weather dries the grass, staff will be encouraged to park on the grass areas marked on the map to allow more car parks for parents.
Below is a diagram/visual to help everyone understand the expectations.
As always I ask that all parents collecting their children are patient and courteous. If you feel someone needs help in following the guidelines, approach them calmly and let them know, often it just takes a friendly reminder.
Also if we do our best to set the standard for others through our actions, others will follow.
I also ask that parents consider an alternate option for pick-ups. It could be
- parking at the Koolangarra Park and walking up to collect your child
- parking along Webb St and walking up to school to collect your child
- parking along Princess st and walking up to school to collect your child
While I understand this is not possible for all families due to time pressures after school, if you are able to utilise the surrounding streets and are willing to walk, this would also take pressure off the main car park.
I hope these directions help and please be assured that we are always working to provided the best possible resources and facilities we are able to for our students and the Columba Community.
2025 Start of Year
We are excited to announce our upcoming Athletics Day, scheduled for Thursday the 6th of March. 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.
Thank you for your support in making Athletics Day a memorable experience for our students!
Warm regards,
Danielle Sharpe
- Attendance patterns are established early
- Parents have a legal obligation to send their child to school
- Each missedday is associated with progressively lower achievement in numeracy, writing and reading
Advising of a Student Absence
If your child cannot attend school you must advise the school as soon as possible in one of the following ways giving a reason for the absence e.g appointment, unwell,
- Notification via the PAM (Parent Access Module) or the school SZapp (preferred as this logs the absence directly into our system)
- Phone: 56295933 and leave a message
- Email: office@bunyip.catholic.edu.au
- Via Notified Absence on our website (Student Wellbeing tab-Attendance)
Principals have an obligation to determine if the excuse given is reasonable in terms of parents meeting their legal obligation.
Schools are required to contact parents (or emergency contacts where parents cannot be contacted) on the day of absence if there has been no advice from parents.
This is done in two ways:
Text via SMS, and then (if no response)
A Phone call
If you have difficulty ensuring your child attends school, please reach out to your child’s teacher and/or our Mental Health in Primary School Leader, Lizzy Cunningham to develop a support plan to help ensure your child gets the full benefits of school.
If we have any families that own a business that has large machinery to remove the big plants at the front of the school (infornt of the fence), please contact me
principal@bunyip.catholic.edu.au
We would like to clear much of that shrubbery but will need a significant machine to do it. It will be a paid job.
Your help would be much appreciated.
Teacher: Mrs Janine Kilmartin
Email: jkilmarting@bunyip.catholic.edu.au
Library Books Due
We still have 105 books missing from the library.
They are in your houses!
All Library books should now be returned to the library. Overdue slips/emails have been sent out.
Thank you for your ongoing support in fostering a love for reading and learning in our school. It is wonderful to see how reading is loved amongst our students and the opportunity to borrow weekly. Now that borrowing has finished we have encouraged our students to visit the local library in Drouin, Pakenham and Warragul to borrow books or borrow from friends.
Or please support our local book shops and opp shops.
Calling All Helpers!
Join the Bunyip Catholic
Parents & Friends Group in 2025!
Dear Bunyip Catholic School Families,
We're already looking ahead to an exciting 2025 school year! The Bunyip Catholic Parents & Friends Group (P&F) plays a vital role in supporting our school community by organizing events, fundraising activities, and volunteering for projects that benefit our students.
This year, we'd like to extend a heartfelt thank you to all our dedicated P&F members who contributed their time and talents in 2024. Your efforts made a significant difference in enriching our school environment and fostering a strong sense of community.
Looking Forward to 2025!
We're gearing up for another fantastic year and would love for you to join us!
Here are just a few ways the P&F supports Bunyip Catholic:
- Organizing Fun Events: Contributing to a lively atmosphere and fun experiences for students and families. Limited by creativity!
- Fundraising Activities: Helping fund school resources, equipment, and special programs.
- Volunteer Opportunities: Meet new people, and gain new skills!
- Building Community: We provide opportunities for parents and teachers to connect and build lasting relationships.
Are you interested in giving back and making a difference? Every bit of help makes a huge impact! If you'd like to be involved in the P&F for the 2025 school year, please don't hesitate to reach out to Andrew by replying to this email or sending him a message at principal@bunyip.catholic.edu.au.
We look forward to welcoming you to the Bunyip Catholic P&F team in 2025!
Columba will no longer be using the Bus to send children to Before and After School Care at Bunyip Primary School in 2025.
We ask that if you need before and after school care in 2025, you enrol your children at our new Before and After School Care with DS Sports
The brochure on how to enrol is at the bottom of this newsletter.
'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.
| Wednesday | 29th | January | - First Day for Prep Students ONLY 2025 |
| Thursday | 30th | January | - First day for ALL students 2025 |
| Friday |
14th | February | -Responsible Pet Education grades P-3 |
| Tuesday | 18th | February |
- Pupil Free Day -Sacrament Workshop Parent Information Night, St James Catholic School Nar Nar Goon, 5:30-6:30 PM. |
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Saturday Sunday |
22nd 23rd |
February |
-Eucharist Commitment Mass Sat- 6:00 PM at St. James' Church, NNG. -Eucharist Commitment Mass Sun- 11:00 AM St. Joseph's Church, Iona. |
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Monday |
3rd |
March |
- School Photos |
| Wednesday | 5th | March |
- Ash Wednesday - Eucharist Workshop - 5:30 PM at (TBC) |
| Thursday | 6th | March |
- Athletics Day - Eucharist Workshop - 5:30 PM at (TBC) |
| Monday | 10th | March | - Labour Day Public Holiday |
| 12th - | 21st | March | - NAPLAN Grades 3 & 5 |
| Tuesday | 18th | March | - Parent Teacher Meetings - 3:45-8:00 PM |
| Wednesday | 19th | March | - Parent Teacher Meetings - 3:45-6:00 PM |
| Tuesday | 25th | March | - District Aths |
| Wednesday | 26th | March | - Pupil Free Day |
| Saturday | 29th | March |
- First Holy Eucharist Sacrament - St. James' Church, NNG at 6:00 PM |
| Sunday | 30th | March |
- First Holy Eucharist Sacrament - St. Joseph's Church, Iona at 11:00 AM |
| 31st March | -2nd | April | - Forest Edge Camp Grade 5/6 |
| Friday | 4th | April | - Last Day Term 1 (2:20 PM finish) |
| Friday | 18th | April | - Good Friday Public Holiday |
| Sunday | 20th | April | - Easter Sunday Public Holiday |
| Monday | 21st | April | - Easter Monday Public Holiday |
| Wednesday | 23rd | April | - First day of Term 2 for all students |
| Friday | 25th | April | - ANZAC Day Public Holiday |
| Thursday | 8th | May | - Mother's Day Event |
| 16th- | 23rd | May | - Catholic Education Week |
| 27th- | 3rd | June | - Reconciliation Week |
| Wednesday | 4th | June | - Confirmation Sacrament Grade 6 |
| Friday | 6th | June | - Columba Feast Day Celebration (actual feast day 9.5.25) |
| Monday | 9th | June | - King's Birthday Public Holiday |
| Friday | 4th | July | - Last Day Term 2 (2:20 PM finish) |
| 6th- | 13th | July | - NAIDOC Week |
| Tuesday | 22nd | July | - First Day of Term 3 for all students |
| Wednesday | 3rd | September | - Indigenous Literacy Day |
| Thursday | 4th | September | - Father's Day Event |
| Thursday | 18th | September | - Last Day Term 3 (3:20 PM finish) |
| Monday | 6th | October | - First Day of Term 4 for all students |
| Monday | 3rd | November | - SCHOOL CLOSURE |
| Tuesday | 4th | November | - Melbourne Cup Public Holiday |
| Thursday | 13th | November | - Sacrament of Reconciliation - grade 3 |
| Thursday | 18th | December | - Last Day of Term 4 & 2025 (3:20 PM finish) |
