"Dear Jesus, give me the courage, strength and generosity to let go and move on, leaving the past behind me, and living the present to the fullest. Lead me always to be positive as I entrust the past to your mercy, the present to your love, and the future to your providence."

Dear Parents and Carers,

Our term is quickly winding down. Next week the Year 6 celebrate their Graduation Mass on Tuesday and we have our Carols night on Friday evening.

Well done to our Year 6 students on a wonderful last assembly. They were very creative and performed beautifully. I have to say it is very pleasing to see how confidently they spoke and performed. I am sure that there are some budding performers in the making. Many thanks to Mrs Daniele, Mrs O’Brien and Mrs Vuckovic for coordinating. It is not always easy to prepare the last Year 6 assembly and produce such a quality performance.

Our Year 5 students held their speeches and elections on Tuesday for the 2025 Year 6 Student Leadership roles. I would like to thank Mrs Crugnale and Mrs Brine for preparing the students for the elections. The students spoke really well and very confidently and the staff will now go through the process of selecting the leaders roles from the twenty that were selected by the students.

The Carol’s night will be held on Friday, 29 November. It is a requirement that students from PP-Yr 6 attend, as each class will be singing a carol to families. Kindy students are not required to attend, however, there is a Kindy performance and at the conclusion of the Kindy carol the students may sit with their family. The carol singing for all classes should take approximately 45 minutes to an hour. The evening will begin with the Choir singing from 5:45pm and the classes from 6:00pm.

Reports will once again be available online from Wednesday, 4 December.

God bless and keep safe.

Allen McMahon

Principal

Friday 22 November

• Vinnies' Christmas hamper appeal ends

Tuesday 26 November

• Kindy White Nativity 9am
• Year 6 Graduation 6pm

Thursday 28 November

• Kindy Green Nativity 9am

Friday 29 November

• Carols Evening 5.45pm

The Annual St Vincent de Paul Christmas Appeal is about to begin, and St Columba’s Primary School is excited to be involved once again.

What is the Vinnies Christmas Appeal?

For many people, Christmas is a joyful time of year however, the sad reality is that 13.3% of Australians are living in poverty. Of these, 731,300 are children who may not get their Christmas wish. Your support can make a difference.

Our generosity through the Vinnies Christmas Appeal can provide urgent relief for a family who’s doing it tough this Christmas and give them hope for a better future.

How does St Columba’s get involved?

St Columba’s is participating in the Vinnie’s Christmas Appeal. We are looking for families to donate non-perishable food items to the baskets in each classroom, which will be used to make up Christmas hampers for those in need.

The Carols Evening will be held on Friday 29th November (Week 8) on the school bottom oval. It is a requirement that students from PP - Year 6 attend, as each class will be singing a carol.

It is optional for Kindy to attend. They will have the option of singing a class carol, and at the end of their carol will be allowed to sit with their family. The carol singing for all classes should take approximately an hour.

• The evening will begin with the Choir singing from 5:45pm and the classes from 6:00pm.
• PP- Year 6 students are required to meet their classroom teacher in their classroom at 5:20pm. Kindy students need to meet their class teacher on the bottom oval at this time.
• PP – Y6 classes will commence walking down to the bottom oval from 5:30pm.

Students are encouraged to wear a Christmas t-shirt / clothing in the Christmas colours. Christmas headpieces are optional. Footwear must be worn.

Families are able to bring a picnic if they wish.

Please note, at the end of the Carols, children will be dismissed to families by their class teachers and the school will not be responsible for supervising the students.

Father Nino would like to extend an invitation to the children who live in the area, but all are welcome, to come dressed up as various parts of the Nativity, the more angels, and shepherds the better.

If you would like to nominate, to be Mary or Joseph then you must let the school know by the end Term 4. Names will then be drawn ‘from a hat’ and students will be notified.

Semester 2 Reports for Pre-Primary to Year 6 students will be made available on Wednesday, 4 December at 3:30 pm. Reports will be provisioned online this semester through the SEQTA Engage portal.

Reports for Kindergarten students only will be sent home as a hard copy on Wednesday, 4 December.

All parents with children in Pre-Primary to Year 6, who have received their child’s report online previously, have been provisioned with a SEQTA Engage account.

The SEQTA Engage web address is https://stcolumbassp.coneqt-p.cathednet.wa.edu.au/

Please note there is also a ‘Reports – SEQTA Engage’ tab on the FAMILIES page of the school website that links directly to the above link.

Please ensure you can log into your account so that you can receive your child's Semester 2 report.

If you are unable to locate your login information, please follow these steps:

• Click on the Forgot your password? link
• Enter your email address into the relevant box and click on Reset my password
• Go to your email box and reset your password according to the instructions in the email.
• The password reset email will expire after 1 hour of being generated.

Parents who are new to St Columba’s this semester or who have not previously been provisioned with a SEQTA Engage account will receive an email shortly inviting them to create one.

Please contact the front office if you have any issues logging into your SEQTA Engage account.

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.

Sessions will take place on the bottom oval at lunchtime and cover a range of sports and skills. Funded by P&F.

• Tuesday Lunchtime: Years 1-3
• Wednesday Lunchtime: Years 4-6

• Location: Bottom School Oval
• Duration (number of weeks): Eight
• Cost: P&F Funded Initiative
• Method to register / join: No action required. Students choice to participate on the day

Extra-curricular technology club kindly arranged by our P&F:

• Year groups: Year 4 - Year 6
  
• Location: School Library
• Days and times: Monday's after school
• Start date: Monday 14 October (except 21 Oct pupil-free day)
• Duration (number of weeks): Seven
• End date: Monday 2 December
• Cost: Full cost to parents $175.00
• Method to register / join: Join via the link below

Extra-curricular soccer club kindly arranged by our P&F:

• Provider / Organisation: Pro Football Training
• Year groups: Year 1 to Year 6
• Location: Weeks 2 - 3: on the tennis courts and Weeks 4 - 9: on the oval
• Days and times: Wednesday and Friday Mornings at 7:30am
• Start date: Wednesday 16 October and Friday 18 October
• Duration (number of weeks): Eight
• End date: Wednesday 4 December and Friday 6 December
• Cost: Full cost to parents $149.00
• Method to register / join: Join via the link below

Bricks 4 Kidz has been running after school from our library for a number of years:

• Provider / Organisation: Bricks 4 Kidz
• Contact person from provider: Rachel Koo / 0415 829 511 / rachel.koo@bricks4kidz.au
• Year groups: Various classes, starting from 5 years and up
• Location: St Columba's Library
• Days and times: Fridays after school
• Start date: Friday 18 October
• Duration (number of weeks): 8 weeks
• End date: Friday 6 December
• Cost: See further information in link below
• Method to register / join: Join via link below

Term 4: Monday 7 October - Friday 6 December