Principal's Update - 28th April

Welcome

Dear Families,

We hope this newsletter finds you well and that you had a restful and enjoyable Easter break with your loved ones. We are thrilled to welcome everyone back to Term 2 and to continue our journey of learning and growth together.

During the Easter break, we had the opportunity to reflect on the past term's successes and challenges and prepare for the upcoming term. We have exciting plans and activities lined up for our students, and we can't wait to see them thrive in their learning and personal development.

As we return to school, we also want to take a moment to acknowledge and reflect on the significance of Anzac Day, on April 25th. Anzac Day is a day of remembrance for all Australians and New Zealanders who have served and died in wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations. It is a time for us to pay tribute to their bravery and sacrifice and to honor their memory. We were proud to have our Student Leaders representing St Columba’s at both the Ballarat Dawn and 11:00 am services. Thank you to those families who attended and participated with such reverence. 

Here at our school, we hosted a commemorative liturgy to acknowledge the significance of this day. We encourage you to discuss the importance of Anzac Day with your children and to take a moment to reflect on the sacrifices made by those who have served our country.

Camp

Our Year 5/ 6 Students attended Burnside Camp at Anglesea this week. The weather was picture-perfect on Wednesday for beach activities, and the children thoroughly enjoyed all activities they participated in. We wish to thank our staff for their commitment to ensuring our students were well cared for and supported throughout the experience. We know there will be some very tired students (and staff) as the week draws to a close.

School Photos

We would like to remind you that school photos are scheduled for next Monday 1st May. To ensure that all our students look their best, we kindly request that they come to school in full winter uniform, including jumpers.

This year, MSP Photography have transitioned to an online ordering system. Emails containing information on how to order, as well as your username and password have been emailed to families earlier this month. If you are having difficulties ordering or have not received your emaill, please contact the MSP office on 5333 5577.

School Uniform

As the weather gets cooler, we would like to remind all families that our school has now transitioned to our winter uniform. It is important that we all take pride in our uniform and appearance, as it reflects the values and identity of our school community. Wearing the correct uniform is also a way of showing respect for ourselves, our peers, and the school, and helps to promote a sense of unity and belonging. Thank you for your continued support in making this school one we can all be proud to be a part of.

Religious Education Update

Mini Vinnies Commissioning Mass

On Sunday the 7th of May we invite all Mini Vinnies to 10am Mass at St Columba’s Church where they will participate in a commissioning to honour their role as leaders within our community. The new leaders will receive a badge however all are encouraged to attend. 

Mother’s Day 

On Friday the 12th of May we invite you to join us for our annual Mother's Day Mass at 9:15 at St Columba's Church. We are asking for an RSVP from those who wish to attend a Mother's Day Morning Tea after the Mass where a light refreshment will be provided. You can RSVP here. 

Please note the school children will continue their regular school routine, whilst the morning tea takes place in the school hall. We look forward to hosting and celebrating you!

Sacrament of Confirmation 

Baptised children who are in Grade 3 or above are invited to enrol in the program for the Sacrament of Confirmation. Preparation will take place on Monday evenings from 5:45 - 6:30 pm at St Columba’s School on the 15th and 22nd of May. With any questions or an expression of interest please contact Lia Andanar Yu, Parish Coordinator at Ph: 5331 1012 or ballaratnorth@ballarat.catholic.org.au

We extend an invitation to all families to attend a special mass on Sunday the 28th of May or the 4th of June when these children will receive the Sacrament of Confirmation.

Catholic Education Week

This year, Catholic Education Week will take place in Week 5 of the term from the 22nd to the 26th of May. On Friday the 26th of May, St Columba’s will be gathering with Our Lady Help of Christians. 

Please keep an eye out for more information to come! 

Mother's Day Stall

To celebrate our Mother’s and the Special women in our lives, we will hold a Mother’s Day Stall on Friday, 5th May. Gifts will be $5 each, and siblings will be invited to attend the stall together to purchase the perfect gift for their mum.

Payment can be made via QuickCliq. To do this, please login to your QuickCliq account (via the SZapp as you would for lunch orders), scroll to events, and you will note the Mother’s Day Stall, where you can place your order. Please note that gifts are limited to one per child and a separate order is required to be put through for each child to assist in a seamless process for helpers on the day. Cash purchases will also be accepted on the day.

Gate Opening Times

A reminder that you are welcome onsite at the beginning and end of the days once the gates have been opened. Howard Street Gates will now open at 8:20 am for early drop-offs pre-arranged with the Principals, whilst both Gregory Street and Armstrong Street will be open at 8:30 am. Students will be supervised from 8:30 am, with classes commencing at 8:45 am. Please be aware that children arriving early must remain seated near the Year 1 / 2 Community until supervision commences.

Please note that ALL gates will be locked from 8:45 am. Students arriving at school after 8:45 am must enter through the Administration Office to ensure they are marked as present for student attendance.

Schoolzine App (SZapp)

As emailed to families on Monday, there is a new version of SZapp available for Android and IOS Devices. Please ensure that you have updated to this version to assure you receive communications from the school.

Please see the below instructions for updating. The St Columba's code for login is 5900.

We have also requested the badge functionality (where unread messages are flagged) be introduced. This will be made available soon, in a future update.

If you are using an Android Device, you will need to uninstall the old app and install the new version.

IOS Devices (iPhones) will be able to update without requiring a re-install.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause, but we are confident that the improvements in the new version will make it worth it.

An online guide on how to install and register/login to SZapp is available on the Schoolzine Website here:

Click here to view the Installation Instructions

If you experience any difficulties with completing this process, please reach out to Schoolzine using support@schoolzine.com. To assist with your query, they ask that you provide a description of the issue you are facing, the email address you are using when facing this issue and a screenshot of the issue.

Important Dates for Term 2

As we begin Term 2, we wish to remind you that our school is committed to providing a safe, supportive, and engaging learning environment for all students. We value your feedback and encourage you to reach out to us if you have any questions, concerns, or suggestions.

Thank you for your continued support, and we look forward to a productive and fulfilling Term 2.

Kind regards,

Bambi Afford & Shaun Mohr
Co-Principals