Principal's Update - 20th October

Welcome

Dear Families,

It’s lovely to see everyone settling back into the rhythm of school life after the holidays. Classrooms are already buzzing with learning, and it’s been wonderful to see students reconnecting with friends, teachers, and routines.

As we ease into this busy and exciting term, we’re also adjusting to the transition that comes with daylight savings, lighter evenings, slightly darker mornings, and sometimes a little extra tiredness as everyone’s body clock readjusts! Thank you for your support in helping students maintain good routines around rest and preparation for school; it really makes a difference to their focus and wellbeing during the day.

Spring is certainly living up to its reputation for changeable weather, from sunshine to showers and everything in between. Please ensure students are prepared for all conditions, with hats for sun protection and jumpers or jackets handy for cooler moments.

As the term continues, we look forward to the many events and celebrations ahead that bring our community together in faith, learning, and joy.

Uniform

From this week, all students are expected to be in full summer uniform. Please check our uniform guidelines to ensure students are dressed appropriately.

After working with our School Advisory Board last term, we have made the decision to outsource school uniform purchases moving forward. We have engaged with Noone (formerly Crockers) to provide uniforms for families. The school will no longer continue to carry stock onsite. We will be transitioning existing stock to Noone who will take approximately 1 week to get things up and running with a proposed start date of the 27th October, all things running smoothly. Noone will offer free delivery on any items out of stock, and we are in the process of looking at back-to-term orders that could be collected from school. This also offers us an opportunity to consider other options that Noone offers in uniforms and look to refresh our uniform. We will be putting a group together in the near future to explore these options. 

Learning & Curriculum Update

This term, our key knowledge concept is Connections. Each term, we focus on a key concept like this as part of our knowledge-rich curriculum. These concepts give students a lens through which to view their learning and experiences.

A knowledge-rich curriculum means that students aren’t just memorising facts, but are developing a deep and connected understanding of the world. Our curriculum is built as a spiral, meaning ideas are revisited and expanded over multiple years of schooling. This way, children don’t learn something once and move on, but return to it with greater depth, applying new skills and building on what they already know.

By focusing on a Knowledge Rich Curriculum, students will:

• Recognise how ideas, people, places, and events link together.
  
• Make links and connections, building on prior learning
  
• Understand that knowledge is not separate “bits and pieces” but part of a bigger picture.
  
• Develop deeper thinking by seeing relationships between different areas of study.
  

For example, in history, they might explore connections between civilisations; in science, how systems in the natural world rely on each other; and in Social Emotional Learning (SEL), how relationships shape our wellbeing.

Over time, this approach helps students develop conceptual understanding that is richer and longer lasting than isolated facts, preparing them for higher levels of learning and critical thinking.

Wellbeing & Behaviour Expectations

Finishing the Year Well – Respect, Responsibility and Safety

As we move into the final weeks of the school year, it’s important that all students continue to uphold the values and expectations that make our school such a safe, caring and respectful community.

Whether at school or out on an excursion, students are reminded of the importance of following our school rules, showing respect for themselves, for others, and for the places we visit. These expectations are not only about behaviour; they are about living out our values, showing leadership, and being proud representatives of St Columba’s wherever we go.

As senior students and as members of our wider school family, we each play a part in ensuring the safety and well-being of everyone. This means listening carefully and following adult instructions, making responsible choices, and supporting one another to be our best selves.

By finishing the year well, with kindness, pride, and integrity, we show what it truly means to be part of this community. Let’s all commit to ending the year on a positive note, being proud of who we are and the example we set for others.

We also remind students of the importance of cyber safety and respectful online behaviour, ensuring that our digital interactions reflect the same kindness and responsibility we show in person. Through our ongoing wellbeing initiatives, we continue to promote care for ourselves and others,  nurturing a culture where every student feels safe, valued, and supported.

Parent Engagement & Communication

St Columba’s Community Event Schedule: A Three-Year Cycle of Connection, Celebration & Contribution

At St Columba’s, we are proud to foster a strong sense of community through a vibrant and well-structured three-year cycle of events that bring together families, staff, students, and the broader local community. These events are designed not only to create opportunities for joyful connection and participation but also to raise much-needed funds for key school projects and improvements to our learning environment and grounds.

Our event schedule operates on a three-year rotation to ensure variety, accessibility, and broad appeal. Each year offers a distinct mix of family-friendly activities, community celebrations, and fundraising initiatives that engage students and strengthen connections between home and school. The School Advisory Council has been supportive of returning to a schedule that enables forward planning for both families and the wider school community.

Key Aims of the Three-Year Cycle:

• Foster community spirit by creating regular opportunities for families to come together in a welcoming, inclusive setting.
  
• Support school improvement projects through well-organised fundraising efforts.
  
• Promote student involvement by including fun and engaging activities that allow children to contribute and participate meaningfully.
  
  

Examples of Events Across the Cycle May Include:

• Year 1: Welcome Picnic, Movie Night, Mother’s Day/Father’s Day Events, Bunnings BBQ, Disco, Christmas Picnic, Student Led Markets  
• Year 2:  Welcome Picnic Art Exhibition, Mother’s Day/Father’s Day Events, Bunnings  BBQ, Colour Run, Pub Music Bingo, Student Led Markets 
• Year 3:  Welcome Picnic, Grandparents & Special Friends Day, Bunnings BBQ, Trivia Night, School Concert, Student Led Markets  

This planned cycle ensures our events remain fresh, exciting, and sustainable, while giving every family a chance to get involved in ways that suit their interests, skills, and availability.

We believe that a connected community creates a thriving school, and we thank all families for their support, energy, and generosity as we continue to build a joyful and inclusive St Columba’s culture, together.

Extracurricular Activities

We have a number of excursions and events on this term, please take the time to check your child/children’s medical details are up to date in PAM. If you are unsure of how to access your account, please contact the office for assistance.

Before and After School Care Update (OSHC)

An update for families regarding OSHC, we have been in meetings this term with a number of different providers exploring options for OSHC. We are in the final stages of negotiation with a provider looking at the options of providing before-school care on-site from 6:45 - 8:45 am and after-school care from 3:15 - 6:00 pm. One of the aims of the current negotiations is to provide a better service at as close to an equivalent price as possible. The goal would be to start this as early in 2026 as possible - there are considerable policy and regulatory things that need to be processed prior to this, typically taking around 90 days.

Health & Safety Reminders

SunSmart policy: hats are required in Term 4. Please note this also applies to all external excursions as well.

As the sun begins to emerge, we are reminded that daily sun protection times are forecast by the Bureau of Meteorology for UV levels based on location. In Victoria, UV levels typically reach 3 or higher daily from mid-August to the end of April. At these levels, sun protection is recommended for all skin types.

Given this, children will need their hats effective immediately and will be advised when to wear them according to the day's UV rating. If children have hats at school, they will be encouraged to wear them for the entirety of this term.

Thunderstorm Asthma – be prepared this pollen season

Thunderstorm asthma is a serious and potentially life-threatening phenomenon that can occur during specific weather conditions. It is common throughout all parts of Victoria, particularly during spring when thunderstorms coincide with high levels of pollen in the air. This combination can trigger severe asthma symptoms, even in people who have not previously experienced asthma or allergies. Epidemic thunderstorm asthma events are uncommon and don't occur every year. In south-east Australia, they can happen during the grass pollen season from October through December.

What Causes Thunderstorm Asthma?

During a thunderstorm, pollen grains can be swept up into the clouds, where they break into smaller particles due to moisture. These tiny particles then get blown down by the winds and spread across a wide area. Because they are so small, they can be easily inhaled, reaching deep into the lungs and triggering asthma symptoms such as wheezing, shortness of breath, and chest tightness.

Find out more

Further information regarding thunderstorm asthma can be found at https://asthma.org.au/triggers/thunderstorm-asthma/ and https://www.health.vic.gov.au/environmental-health/epidemic-thunderstorm-asthma-risk-forecast

A gentle reminder, if your child is unwell, please do not send them to school. Hopefully, as we move out of flu/cold season, we will see less of an impact from this.

2026 Classes

We will also begin the process of staffing arrangements and class lists early this term. If you have any information you feel may impact placement for your child, please discuss this with your child/ren’s classroom teacher before putting it in writing to principal@scballarat.catholic.edu.au. This relates to academic, family, and social-emotional considerations. Please be aware that we do not accept requests for specific teachers or social groups, nor can we promise, given the complexity of 340 students to place, that we can accommodate every consideration.

Staffing Updates

We received a strong response to our 2026 position advertisement and interviewed five new teachers during the school holidays. Following this process, we are delighted to announce the appointment of Gustav Joshi to our team. Gustav will be familiar to many students through his recent CRT work with us and is highly regarded by our staff. During his interview, Gustav impressed us with his depth and breadth of knowledge, his strong focus on student learning, and his thoughtful research into our school and its direction.

We have also completed our conversations with existing staff regarding their intentions for 2026 and would like to share some staffing updates with our families. Sally Latchford will not be returning to St Columba’s in 2026. After taking a year of leave to spend time with her family, Sally has decided to explore new opportunities in the future. Hugo has requested leave next year to travel and enjoy some warmer weather; we have approved his request and look forward to welcoming him back in 2027.

Community

The Ballarat Junior Golf Academy is getting ready for a big Spring and Summer of Junior Golf at Mt Xavier Golf Club, Midlands Golf Club and Buninyong Golf Club 

Classes start this week at the various venues.

To enrol in any of our training programs at the new golf.com.au website you will have to register as a first time user. Golflink number is your identifier if you are already a member of a golf club. MYGOLF Identifier number will be provided if you have not registered in a program through Golf Australia previously. Some users are still reporting trouble with the new Golf Australia website. If so, you can contact me direct for program queries.

Monday and Tuesday classes are at Midlands GC -Wednesday classes are at Buninyong GC  - Thursday and Friday classes are at Mt Xavier GC

You can see the program details and times at the link below 

https://golf.com.au/mygolf-search?latitude=-37.5691087&longitude=143.8563224&view=list&sort=distance&distance=50

Any questions about Junior golf please contact  Andrew on 0409 403276. 

Important Dates - Term 4

Please refer to our School Calendar for more detailed and up to date event information.