“We praise you in this Easter season.

Change our lives, change our hearts to be messengers of Easter joy and hope.

We make our prayer through Jesus Christ, our risen Lord forever. Amen.”

Dear Parents and Carers,

Our term has very quickly come to a close. I would like to thank the staff for the extra effort they have put into educating the students at St Columba’s. Teaching preparation is far more than just turning up on the day to present lessons. Many weekends, you’ll find staff at school preparing for the week ahead. It is this dedication that helps create a wonderful educational experience for the students at St Columba’s.

The students have had a great term and are to be congratulated on their behaviour and the effort they’ve shown in their classrooms. They’ve also enjoyed some fantastic excursions and incursions, including today’s Edudance Concert.

Next week Catholics celebrate Palm Sunday and the events that lead up to the Resurrection of Jesus on Easter Sunday.

We celebrate Easter through:

Living with Joy
Joy is a deep-down gladness that cannot be taken away, even in the midst of sorrow. The Passion and Resurrection of Jesus teach us that suffering is transformed through faith in the Risen Christ. With this faith, we are able to hold on to a lasting sense of joy, even amid the sadness we feel from the loss of a loved one, a missed goal, or a setback during recovery from illness.

Living without Fear
The Resurrection teaches us that God can overcome anything—even death. When the Risen Christ appears to the women at the tomb and later to his disciples, his first words are, “Do not be afraid!” (Mt 28:5,10). These words speak to our hearts, helping us cope with the fear that comes with the loss of a job, a serious illness, or a struggling relationship. Our faith allows us to trust that God can overcome our most difficult challenges.

On Tuesday, we had a visitor from CARITAS speak to the students in what was a challenging and thought-provoking presentation, highlighting the importance of the work that CARITAS does both around the world and here in Australia.

The school will hold an ANZAC Day Prayer Service on Tuesday, 29 April.

I would also like to thank the many parents who have generously helped with the various activities we’ve celebrated this term. Your support is truly appreciated and valued.

Please note, students will commence Term 2 on Monday, 28 April and parent-teacher meetings will be held on Monday, 12 May.

Have a great Easter and holiday.

God Bless and keep safe.

Allen McMahon

Principal

TERM 1

Friday 11 April

• Easter Prayer Service - 9am
• Passion Play - Y6
• Last day of Term 1

TERM 2

Monday 28 April

• Term 1 begins

Tuesday 29 April

• ANZAC Day Liturgy - 9am

Wednesday 7 May

• Mother's Day P&F Event - 7.30am

As part of our Holy Week celebrations the Year 6 classes will present the Passion Play to students in Years 1-5 on Friday, 11 April at 9am in the Church. The Passion Play tells the story of the events of Holy Week which recount the so-called 'passion narratives' in the New Testament Gospels that relate to the suffering, death and burial of Jesus Christ. Thus, Holy Week marks the last week of the Catholic season of Lent – the week leading up to Easter. All parents are welcome to attend.

As we journey towards Holy Week, we take time to reflect on the significance of Jesus’ final days – His sacrifice, love, and the hope of the Resurrection. This sacred time in our Church calendar invites us to deepen our faith and prepare our hearts for Easter.

To commemorate, our Year 6 students will lead the school in a Passion Play on Friday, 11 April, at 9:00 am in the Church. This moving reenactment of Jesus’ final moments will provide a powerful opportunity for our students to engage with the Easter story in a meaningful way.

We warmly invite parents and families to join us for this special faith celebration as we come together in prayer and reflection.

As we journey through Lent, our school community has been actively supporting Caritas Australia’s Project Compassion, living out our faith through acts of kindness, generosity, and compassion. Your contributions are helping to create a more just and fair world for those in need.

A heartfelt thank you to all families who have been collecting donations in their Project Compassion boxes. Every dollar raised makes a meaningful impact, supporting vulnerable communities with education, healthcare, and sustainable livelihoods.

Final Reminder: All Project Compassion boxes and donations are due back to the school office by the last day of term – Friday, 11 April.

Let’s continue to give generously and make this Lent a season of hope and love. Thank you for your support!

Our Term 2 Parent-Teacher Interviews will take place on Monday, 12 May, providing an opportunity to discuss your child's progress and learning goals with their classroom teacher.

This year, we will once again use the Microsoft Bookings platform, which integrates seamlessly with your email calendars for a smooth and convenient booking process.

Key Dates & Booking Details:
📅 Bookings Open: Monday, 28 April (First Day of Term 2)
📅 Bookings Close: COB Thursday, 8 May
📅 Interview Date: Monday, 12 May
📞 Parents can choose a 10-minute phone call or in-person meeting with their child's teacher.

An email with booking instructions and links will be sent to all Kindy to Year 6 parents on Monday, 28 April.

We encourage all families to take part in these valuable discussions. Please ensure you secure your preferred time before the booking deadline. We look forward to connecting with you soon!

We warmly invite our school community to join us for our ANZAC Day Liturgy on Tuesday, 29 April, at 9:00 am. This special service will be a time to reflect, remember, and honour the courage and sacrifice of the men and women who have served our country.

Our students will lead us in prayer and reflection as we acknowledge the spirit of the ANZACs – their resilience, bravery, and mateship.

All families and friends are welcome to attend as we come together to pay our respects.

Lest we forget.

• Kindergarten and Pre-Primary students with no siblings in other grades may be collected from Kiss & Drive from 2.55 pm.
• Kiss & Drive entry for all other vehicles is from 3.05 pm
• Consider collecting your child from Kiss & Drive slightly later around 3.15 pm to avoid the queue.

Next term, students from Year 1-6, will be participating in Jump Rope for Heart. This program will run for 5 weeks, from Week 2 - 6.

Jump Rope for Heart is a fantastic physical activity and fundraising program that has been run by the Heart Foundation for 40 years. It’s a great way for your child to keep fit and learn new skills, but it also helps raise funds for vital heart research and education programs.

Over the course of the program, students from Year 1-6, will be skipping as part of class daily fitness. Each week, your child will learn new skills, increase their physical activity, and learn about heart health.

You are welcome to register your child online. By doing this you’ll get access to additional skipping resources to help give your family a great reason to get away from the screens and get outdoors. Register and create your own secure webpage at jumprope.org.au/parents

By signing up online, you and your child can:

• Easily raise funds online
• Track skipping skills progress and earn virtual badges along the way
• Post updates to your page so family and friends can follow their progress
• Access additional skipping resources

Visit jumprope.org.au/parents for all the information that you need.

In alignment with our Catholic school identity, we have decided that all donations and prizes will be collected as a whole school effort. Together we can make a big difference! All prizes earned will be donated to CARITAS and be shared with underprivileged children. All money raised will be given to the Heart Foundation.

Thank you for getting involved in Jump Rope for Heart!

Round 4 had it all—thrillers, blowouts, and a few heartbreaks! Some bold choices paid off, while others were left to blame the umps.

For the WA teams, Eagles fans endured yet another painful watch—assuming they didn’t switch off by halftime—while the Dockers finally looked like they knew what they were doing.

Round 4’s Top Tippers 🏆

Big shoutout to this week’s best performers—couldn't split them at the top:

🥇 Tristan K – 7 tips, 1-point margin
🥇 Brendan O – 7 tips, 1-point margin
🥇 Craig P – 7 tips, 1-point margin
🥈 Mayuran S – 7 tips, 3-point margin
🥉 Pat D – 7 tips, 4-point margin

Overall Leaderboard – Top 5

The leaderboard is heating up and the comp is as tight as it gets:

1️⃣ Noah K – 19 tips, 26-point margin
2️⃣ Brendon O – 19 tips, 31-point margin
3️⃣ Ben B – 18 tips, 13-point margin
4️⃣ Andrew J – 18 tips, 30-point margin
5️⃣ Tristan K – 18 tips, 35-point margin

Gather round is up on us and thanks to Daylight saving ending, you have one extra hour to get your tips until 5:40 PM !

If you’re yet to join, there’s still time to get involved and ride the chaos.

👉 Join Here
Comp Code: 5WHXJC5U

For any questions, reach out at doscafootytipping6151@gmail.com or call me (Santhosh) on 0411253951.

Cheers, Santhosh

Hi everyone,

How fast did this term fly by? It has been a fun last week for our kiddies with the Easter Hat Parade and the incredible Edudance concert. I hope all the kiddies and parents had a blast.

I am please to announce the extra curricular options for Term 2:

Rugby - Years 1 to 6

- 6 sessions

- 08/05/2025 - 12/06/2025

- Thursdays 3:20pm - 4:20pm

- Cost to Parents: $49 (P&F subsidising the remainder)

- League Stars Pack Included

- Location: Bottom Oval

Volleyball - Years 1 to 6

- 8 sessions

- Commence Week 2, Term 2 (Tuesday, 6 May).

- Time: 3:20pm - 4:20pm

- Includes a Reds Shirt and their annual VWA Membership

- Cost $70

- Location: Bottom Oval

Soccer - Years 1 to 6

- Wednesday and Fridays (one of these sessions will be dedicated to advanced students)

- Commence Week 2, Term 2

- Time: 7:30am - 8:30am

- Cost: $149

- Location: bottom oval

Registrations will be sent via email tomorrow (last day of school).

Wishing you all a safe and wonderful Easter Break.

Hayley Mitchell

P&F President

Cash payments are no longer accepted. Payments can be made by credit card - Visit scholastic.com.au/LOOP or download the LOOP app. Your order will be electronically linked to the rest of your school's order. You do not need to complete the order form.

St. Columba’s Parish will be hosting a fundraising stall at the upcoming Angelo Street Party and are looking for donations of baked goods, preserves and crafts.

If you would like to assist at the market stall or donate any homemade goods, please email Isabella: admin.south.perth@perthcatholic.org.au

Term 1: Wednesday 5 February - Friday 11 April

Term 2: Monday 28 April - Friday 4 July

Term 3: Tuesday 22 July - Thursday 25 September

Term 4: Monday 13 October - Friday 12 December

Term 1: Monday 3 February, Tuesday 4 February

Term 2: Monday 12 May, Friday 30 May

Term 3: Monday 21 July, Friday 26 September

Term 4: Monday 27 October

Confirmation: Saturday, 7 June at 6pm, Saturday, 14 June at 6pm

Eucharist: Sunday, 17 August, Sunday, 24 August, Sunday, 31 August at 9.30am

Reconciliation: Saturday, 15 November at 10am