St. Columba's Primary School
NEWSLETTER | TERM 1 | WEEK 9 | 28 MARCH 2024
“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 St Columba's Parents and Carers,
This week, we entered the most sacred period of the liturgical calendar - Holy Week.
This year, Lent concludes for us on the same day as Term Two draws to a close on Thursday, 28 March which, is also known as Holy Thursday. Holy Thursday is of course followed by Good Friday where we as Catholics commemorate the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. We are blessed to have been a part of the Passion Play this morning, sharing the story of Holy Week with our classes, led by our Year 6 students in the Church.
As we end Term 1, I am delighted to reflect on the remarkable achievements and progress we have witnessed throughout these past weeks. It has been a term filled with growth, learning, and exciting endeavours, and I would like to take this opportunity to extend my gratitude to each member of our school community for their dedication and commitment.
Dads Camp Out Super Success
I am thrilled to share with you the incredible success of our recent "Dads Camp Out" event. The event was a true testament to the strong bonds between our students and their dads, as they engaged in various activities and shared memorable moments together. As educators, we recognise the invaluable role that fathers, and father figures play in shaping the lives of our students. Their presence and support not only enrich the educational experience but also instil important values of love, guidance, and mentorship. I want to extend my sincere appreciation to all the dads and father figures who took the time to join us for this special occasion. Special shout out to Mel and Alan who were the lead dads. Honourable mentions go to Gianni, Eumir, Jasper, Gareth. Felix, Greg, Craig, Steve, Chris, Braulio, Vamsi, Ben, Ryan and Carl. Your active involvement in your child's education makes a significant difference, and we are grateful for your dedication and commitment. As we reflect on the success of "Dads Camp Out," let us continue to nurture and strengthen the bonds between home and school. Together, we can create a supportive and nurturing environment where every child can thrive.
Staffing Updates
We have some staffing updates to share with you. Mrs. Rosanne Tilli will commence her LSL from Term 2. We wish her well during this rest period.
Ms. Natasha Spiewak, will join our Year 1 Team as a Special Needs Education Assistant.
Monsignor O'Loughlin will be retiring from the St Columba’s Parish on 30 June this year.
We are excited to celebrate both our First Holy Communion and Confirmation Sacraments before he leaves us for his next exciting adventure – retirement!
I wish to thank the school community for your support in my role as Acting Principal this term. I also wish to take the opportunity to thank Mrs Jescinta Vuckovic for her role as Acting Assistant Principal. Jescinta has been a great support for the staff, parents and school and will return to the classroom from Term 2 as the 6W teacher Wednesday - Friday. Mr Steve Popadynec will return to his role as Science Specialist.
Mr Allen McMahon will return from leave in Term 2 as our principal. We look forward to having the ‘McYock’ back in action!
Parent-Teacher Interviews
Parent-teacher interviews are an essential opportunity for open communication and collaboration between educators and parents. I encourage all parents and guardians to participate in these interviews to discuss your child's progress, strengths, and areas for growth. Details regarding interview bookings will be provided in the first newsletter next term. A scheduled day has been selected for interviews this year on Friday, 10 May. This will be a pupil free day for students.
Cyber Safety Parent Talk
We are pleased to report that the Cyber Safety Parent Talk was well attended. The safety and well-being of our students in the digital world are paramount, and we appreciate the active participation of our parents in this important discussion.
EDU-Dance Concert
Our recent EDU-Dance Concert was a resounding success, showcasing the talents and creativity of our students. I want to commend our students for their hard work and dedication, as well as our staff for their support and guidance in making this event possible.
Confirmation Parent Meeting
A reminder to Year 6 parents that the Confirmation Parent Meeting will take place on Monday, 22 April, in the Church. This meeting provides important information and guidance as we prepare our students for this significant sacrament.
As we conclude this term, let us celebrate our accomplishments and embark on the next phase of our educational journey with renewed enthusiasm and determination. Wishing you all a restful and rejuvenating break.
Please note that Term 2 will commence for all students on Tuesday, 16 April.
Until then I wish you all green lights! Happy Easter everyone!
Signing off…
Jesse Yock
Acting Principal
Important Dates - Term 2
Tuesday 16 April
- Term 2 begins
Thursday 18 April
- Mini Vinnies Take - Y6
Friday 19 April
- Jump Rope for Heart Launch - 9am
Monday 22 April
- Confirmation Parent Meeting in Church - 6pm
Thursday 25 April
- Anzac Day
Friday 26 April
- Anzac Day Liturgy - Y6 - 9am
A Message from Mrs Vuckovic
One of the things I love about my job is the building of relationships. While I’m busy moving about the school each morning I try as much as possible to engage with as many staff, parents, and students. These small interactions and connections over time build a positive school culture and promote our school as a Christ-centred and child-focused community.
As we look back on the wonderful work that has taken place this term, I am grateful for the committed staff, curious students and supportive parents that make St Columba’s the amazing place we get to experience each day.
Thank you to the P & F Team, especially President Hayley Mitchell, who has organised the Easter chocolate drive for St Vincent de Paul this term. It was great to see so many students in their Easter hats at the parade. We trust all the students had a good time!
Project Compassion boxes were due back today (last day of Term 1). Thank you for your support of this fundraising initiative.
I wanted to finally say how thankful I am to the St Columba’s community with how welcoming you have been while I was the acting Assistant Principal in Term 1. Mr Yock and Mr McMahon will be back from Term 2 and I will be stepping into the Year 6 classroom.
I wish each family a happy and holy Easter and look forward to seeing all students back rested and well next term.
God bless.
Jescinta Vuckovic
Acting Assistant Principal
Parent Teachers interviews on 10 May
Parent-Teacher interviews will be held for Kindy to Year 6 on Friday the 10th of May (Week 4). Some teachers may have a few places available on other afternoons during that week.
Interviews will be of a 10-minute duration and will take place either in person or on the phone. When you choose your booking time, you will be asked to indicate whether you would like an in-person or phone interview.
The meetings are between the teacher and parents. Children do not attend the meetings. Interviews are with class teachers (no specialist teachers).
Booking information will be sent out at the beginning of Term 2.
AICODE - RoboPro Drone Interschool Competition
All Year 6 students attended St. Andrew's Grammar School on Friday, 15 March to participate in the AICODE - RoboPro Drone Interschool Competition. The students competed in an obstacle competition involving a manual flight challenge and a coded flight challenge.
Students used their digital technology, problem solving and critical thinking skills to maneuver a drone through hoops, under archways and around flags to then return back to the start.
Our overall effort in the competition was exceptional and students worked well under pressure to quickly code the flight path, revise and then try their code with only 2 attempts allowed.
Our students achieved some fantastic results which are below:
- Sponsor School Award: St Columba's Catholic Primary School
- Best team award (beginner) : Max and Mischa
- 3rd Place Award (beginner): Harry. St and Sienna
- 1st Place Award (beginner): Valentina and Aiden. W
We are proud of our Student’s efforts, displaying exceptional coding, problem solving, logic and mathematical abilities whilst being excellent representatives of their school.
We would also like to thank AICODE and their team for facilitating this event and providing a wonderful opportunity at our school. Below is AICODE's summary from the event.
2024 RoboPro Australia Youth Drone Competition
More information about AICODE can be found in the link below.
https://www.aicodeaustralia.com.au/
Well Done Year 6 students!
CAPSS Interschool Cricket Carnival
Selected students in Year 5 and all Year 6 students attended the CAPSS Interschool Cricket Carnival on Tuesday, 26 March at Karoonda Reserve. The students represented St Columba’s in separate girls and boys teams over five Woolworths Blast style games, against five other schools.
The Boys in A division team placed equal second and the Boys B division team placed equal first.
The Girls A division team finished in equal second place and the Girls B division team finished in equal fourth place. Combined our Boys teams placed Second Overall, and our girls teams finished Third.
Our overall effort in the competition was exceptional and many, who have never played cricket competitively, rose to the challenge and improved throughout the day.
A special thank you to our superb parent helpers and supporters who coached the teams in the leadup. We certainly could not have had the success of the days without their involvement. We are proud of our student’s efforts, displaying their cricketing abilities and being excellent representatives of their school.
Well Done!
The Resilience Toolkit for Kids (free)
Is a helpful PDF Workbook that provides basic education around anxiety and some simple strategies for parents and children to utilise to reduce generalised anxiety and promote positive and healthy behaviours (PDF Attached above). https://www.royalfarwest.org.au/resilient-kids-toolkit/#venue-form
We did it! It is the final week of Term 1.
As we finish off the term, I am filled with pride as I reflect on the busy last 9 weeks. The school has been buzzing with excitement, curiosity and a true sense of community spirit. It is wonderful to be a part of.
It has been beautiful watching the children transition into their new classes, embracing new challenges with enthusiasm and determination. We have been blown away with the support of our extra curricular activities, P&F led events and day to day involvement with the school.
I want to take this opportunity to express our heartfelt appreciation to Jesse Yock and Jescinta Vuckovic for your support, encouragement and patience.
Wishing everyone a safe and wonderful holiday break. I look forward to what will be a busy but exciting Term 2.
Happy Easter!
Hayley Mitchell
P&F President
DOSC Footy Tipping 2024
Hello all,
We hit the ground running in the DOSCA footy tipping competition! Round 2 was an absolute delight, packed with thrilling games!
Santhosh P had 7/8 tips in the last round, followed closely by Andrew G and Craig P. Additionally, six participants each got 6/8 tips right. Good work, everyone!
Here's the lowdown on Round 2:
- Santhosh P: 7 correct tips, with a margin of 3
- Andrew J : 6 correct tips, with a margin of 15
- Craig P: 6 correct tips, also rocking with a margin of 15
- Noah K: 6 correct tips, with a margin of 26
- Joshua J: 6 correct tips, with a margin of 26
- Brendon O 6 correct tips, with a margin of 33
- David B : 6 correct tips, with a margin of 31
It’s not too late to join the comp with only one comp round done, you will still have plenty of time to catch-up.
Register for the tipping comp below
https://tipping.afl.com.au/tipping/index.html#/comp/51478/about?code=6W3PL4L9
Comp Code: 6W3PL4L9
If you've got any burning questions shoot me an email at doscafootytipping6151@gmail.com or give Santhosh a buzz at 0411253951.
Keep those tips coming in, folks! 🏉 Happy tipping!
Scholastic Books - Issue 2
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.
School Term Dates for 2024
Term 1: Wednesday 31 January - Thursday 28 March
Term 2: Tuesday 16 April - Friday 28 June
Term 3: Tuesday 16 July - Friday 20 September
Term 4: Tuesday 8 October - Friday 6 December
Pupil Free Days for 2024
Term 1: Monday 29 January, Tuesday 30 January
Term 2: Monday 15 April, Friday 10 May, Friday 31 May
Term 3: Monday 15 July
Term 4: Monday 7 October
Sacrament Dates for 2024
Confirmation: Saturday, 18 May at 6pm
Eucharist: Sunday, 5 May at 9:30am
Reconciliation: Saturday, 9 November at 10am
St Columba's Catholic Primary School
Email: admin@stcolumbassp.wa.edu.au
Website: https://www.stcolumbassp.wa.edu.au/
Location: 30 York Street, South Perth WA 6151, Australia
Phone: (08) 6436 9500
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Education/St-Columbas-Catholic-Primary-School-South-Perth-173160579973945/