Principal's Update - 29th May

Welcome

Dear Families,

We hope this message finds you well and keeping warm during this recent cold snap. The much-needed rainfall has certainly brought some welcome relief, not only for our gardens but also for our farmers who have been doing it tough in recent months.

Celebrating Catholic Education Week

This week, we join Catholic schools across Victoria in celebrating Catholic Education Week, a time to honour and reflect on the unique ethos, mission, and identity of Catholic education within our school and wider communities.

The theme for 2025, "May the God of hope fill you with joy and peace" (Romans 15:13), invites us into a deeper awareness of God's enduring presence in our lives, especially through the gift of Catholic education. It reminds us that, even amidst challenges, we are a people of hope, joy, and peace.

This year’s theme draws inspiration from the upcoming Jubilee Holy Year, commemorating the 2,025th anniversary of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Jubilee is a sacred time for reconciliation, renewal, and pilgrimage, an invitation to return to the heart of the Gospel and rediscover the joy of the Christian journey.

In the Diocese of Ballarat, we are embracing this moment as an opportunity to renew our commitment to faith, learning, and community. It is a time to celebrate the presence of God in our schools, to honour the dedicated work of staff and families, and to recognise the dignity and potential of every child in our care.

May this week be a meaningful celebration for all, filled with moments of reflection, gratitude, and the joy and peace that only God can provide.

This week, we pause to acknowledge two significant events in Australia’s journey toward healing and unity: National Sorry Day (26 May) and National Reconciliation Week (27 May – 3 June).

National Sorry Day is a time to remember and reflect on the mistreatment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, particularly the Stolen Generations, those who were forcibly removed from their families and communities. We honour their strength, resilience, and enduring connection to culture, land, and family. It is also a time to acknowledge the profound impact this history continues to have today.

National Reconciliation Week, with the theme "Bridging now to next", calls on all Australians to work together in the spirit of truth-telling, justice, and healing. It is a time to learn, reflect, and take meaningful action toward a more equitable and respectful future for all.

As a Catholic school community, we are committed to walking the path of reconciliation, inspired by our Gospel values and the dignity of every human person. We give thanks for the rich culture, wisdom, and spirituality of our First Nations peoples, the oldest continuous living culture on earth, and commit ourselves to being people of compassion, courage, and hope.

Let us continue to listen, learn, and stand in solidarity as we move forward together.

Supporting Our School Family Businesses

At St Columba’s, we value the strong sense of community that makes our school such a special place. We know that many of our families run local businesses, and we want to do our part to help support and promote them.

We're putting together a list of school family businesses to share with our wider community – a simple way to connect, support one another, and keep our community thriving.

If you own or operate a business, we invite you to complete the short form below so we can include your details:

Let’s continue to strengthen the connections that make our school community so wonderful.

Sacrament of First Eucharist

Our Year 4 students have now completed their preparation for the Sacrament of First Eucharist through our  Parish Sacramental Program. We extend our thanks to the families who attended the information sessions and commitment masses over the past weeks.  Your commitment and support are greatly appreciated. It was wonderful to see our First Communicants receive the Eucharist for the first time last Sunday. With our final group set to celebrate this coming Sunday.

Assemblies - Week 6 & 11

This term we will hold two assemblies, one in week 6  & week 11. Our students will lead us on Friday, 30th May at 2:45 pm with the Book Fair open to families post this. 

Our Week 11 assembly will be held on Friday, 4th July, the last day of term, at 1:30 pm, with students being dismissed early at 2:05 pm.

Scholastic Book Fair is HERE!

We are excited to announce that our Scholastic Book Fair has commenced.  During the week, each class will have the opportunity to visit the fair and create their own wish lists, sparking excitement and interest in reading.

Families are warmly invited to attend the Book Fair after our school assembly on Friday, 30th May, from 3:15 pm to 4:00 pm. This is a great chance to browse the wonderful selection of books with your child and make a purchase if you wish. Every book sold helps support our school and promotes a love of reading in our community. We will advertise some other times to visit the fair and purchase books as Catholic Education Week draws closer. Purchases can be made via the school office prior to Friday.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Bunnings BBQ - Helpers Required

Our school has been fortunate to secure once again a spot for the highly sought after Bunnings BBQ fundraiser, and we need your assistance to help make it a success!

The BBQ will be held on Saturday 14th June, commencing at 8:00 am and finishing at 4:30 pm. We require 3-4 volunteers for each shift ( 1-2 hr shifts) throughout the day. Please complete the simple form here to indicate if you are able to assist on the day. Organisers will be in contact with you closer to the date to confirm.

Should you have any queries, please contact the school office or Serena Nicholson on 0418 107 261.

NCCD

The Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD) is an annual process in all Australian schools that counts students receiving ongoing support called ‘adjustments’ due to disability or imputed disability. It helps schools, education authorities, and governments to better understand the needs of students with disability and how they can be best supported at school. 

Schools are required to make reasonable adjustments when needed to ensure students with disabilities have access to learning on the same basis as their peers. The Disability Standards for Education 2005 defines ‘reasonable adjustment’ as an adjustment that balances the interests of all parties affected.

To be included in the NCCD, students must receive ongoing adjustments for a diagnosed or imputed disability, in line with the Disability Discrimination Act 1992. The data, shared anonymously, informs planning, funding, and inclusive education practices.

Exciting News – Arts Festival Coming in Term 3!

It has been several years since we last held a Visual Arts Show at St Columba’s, and we believe the time is right to once again celebrate the creativity and artistic talents of our students. After thoughtful discussions with the Leadership Team and our Specialist teachers, we are thrilled to announce that St Columba’s will host an Arts Festival in late Term 3!

This festival will be a celebration of student learning across all areas of the arts, incorporating work from each of the specialist subjects. Our Specialist Team is already planning and collaborating to create meaningful, cross-curricular connections that reflect the breadth and depth of the learning happening in these spaces.

While we are still in the early stages of planning, we are looking ahead with great excitement and enthusiasm. At this stage, we aim for the festival to take place in Week 8 of Term 3, with an evening event that will involve our wider school community on Thursday, 11th September from 5:00 pm - 7:30 pm. Our School Advisory Council working parties are currently organising catering.

This festival promises to be a joyful celebration of creativity, learning, and community spirit, a chance for our students to shine and for the arts to take centre stage once more at St Columba’s.

Celebrating the Feast of St Columba

As a school community, we look forward each year to honouring our Patron Saint, St Columba, whose feast day falls on Monday, 9th June. This day holds special significance for us, reminding us of the courage, faith, and missionary spirit of St Columba, qualities we strive to live out in our own school community.

This year, as the feast day coincides with the King’s Birthday public holiday, we will be celebrating St Columba throughout the week instead. Each learning community will participate in meaningful activities that reflect the life and legacy of our Patron Saint, allowing us time to pause, reflect, and celebrate what it means to be part of the St. Columba’s family.

More details about specific events and classroom activities will be shared soon, but we look forward to a joyful week of celebration, connection, and school spirit as we honour St Columba together.

Get Ready to "Book an Adventure" – Book Week 2025!

We’re excited to announce that Book Week 2025 will take place in Week 5 of Term 3, beginning Saturday, 16th August. This year, the Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) has selected the theme: "Book an Adventure", an invitation for children to embrace the joy of reading and journey into new worlds through the pages of a book.

Book Week is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the power of storytelling and the vital role books play in sparking imagination, curiosity, and a love of learning.

As part of our celebrations at St Columba’s, we will be holding our much-loved Book Week Parade on Monday 18th August. This is always a highlight of the school year and a chance for students to bring their favourite book characters to life in creative and fun ways!

We encourage families to start thinking about costume ideas now—whether it's a beloved character from a picture book, novel, or classic tale, there’s an adventure waiting to be had in every costume.

More information about Book Week activities will be shared closer to the date. For now, mark your calendars and start planning your adventure!

Sacrament of Confirmation – Preparation Beginning Term 3

We are looking forward to beginning preparation early next term for students in Year 3 whose families wish them to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation in 2025.

Confirmation is a significant step in a child’s faith journey, deepening their relationship with God and affirming the promises made at Baptism. It is a special time of learning, reflection, and spiritual growth, supported by both family and our school community.

Further information about the program, including dates for family information sessions, preparation gatherings, and the celebration of the Sacrament, are listed below. A QR code will be sent in the coming weeks to enable families to register their children.

We invite families who would like their child to be part of the Confirmation Program to begin having conversations at home and keep an eye out for enrolment details.

We look forward to supporting our students and families as they prepare for this important milestone in their faith journey.

Parent information meetings

• St Thomas More Catholic Primary School at 9am on Tuesday 22nd July (For STMCPS families) 
• Siena Catholic Primary School at 9am on Wednesday 23rd July (For Siena families) 
• St Patrick Parish Primary School at 9am on Thursday 24th July (For St Patrick’s families) 
• St Columba’s Primary School at 9 am on Friday 25th July (For St Columba’s families)
• Parish info session in Glowrey Room at St Patrick’s Cathedral at 5.30pm on Thursday 24th July (Open to all) 

School dismissal programs to commence from the week of  28th July.

Presentation of candidates at Masses

Commitment Weekend - Presentation before Parish

Saturday 26th July 5:30pm at St Patrick’s Cathedral or Sunday 27th July, 10:00 am (St Columba’s) 10:30am & 5:00pm at St Patrick’s Cathedral

Prayer Weekend - Prayer Card

Saturday 2nd August 5:30pm at St Patrick’s Cathedral or Sunday 3rd August, 10:00 am (St Columba’s)  10:30am & 5:00pmat St Patrick’s Cathedral

Presentation Weekend - Rosary Beads

Saturday 9th August 5:30pm or Sunday 10th August 10:00 am (St Columba’s) 10:30am & 5:00pm

Sacrament of Confirmation Celebrations

Saturday 16th August 5:30pm Co-ordinated by St Thomas More PS

Sunday 17th August 10:00 am (St Columba’s Parish Church)

Sunday 17th August 10:30am Co-ordinated by St Patrick’s PS

Sunday 17th August 5:00pm Co-ordinated by Sienna PS

Saturday 23rd August 5:30pm Co-ordinated by parish

Sunday 24th August 10:00 am (St Columba’s Parish Church)

Sunday 24th August 10:30am Co-ordinated by parish

Sunday 24th August 5:00pm Co-ordinated by parish

Introducing New Staff

Laura Dinsdale 

Hello, I’m Laura Dinsdale, and I was very fortunate to be in the right place at the right time and to come on board at St Columba’s. I initially started here as a CRT, moving from class to class, getting to know as many students as possible, and supporting staff in any way I could. I’m truly pleased to have secured a position here and to be part of the wonderful  community at St Columba’s.

I’ve had a variety of work experiences and often refer to myself as a ‘Jack of all trades.’ I completed my teaching degree at Federation University (back when it was Uni of Ballarat) and, since then, have worked across the state in both Catholic and Government schools, teaching across all year levels. I recently relocated to Ballarat for a new experience, both professionally and personally. 

Outside of school, I’m currently renovating an older house with my partner and enjoy spending time with my two dogs. I have one amazing son who is now independent, though he still occasionally needs me for money, advice, or a good meal.

One of my strengths in the classroom is my ability to tell a story or spin a good yarn to teach a lesson or make a point. If one of these tales is retold over your dinner table, I suggest taking it with a pinch of salt—and feel free to come and ask me about it!

I’m looking forward to working with all the students of St Columba’s, and to remembering all their names!

Staff Update

I wanted to take a moment to share some upcoming changes over the next little while.

DOBCEL has recently asked me to relieve for a few weeks as Principal at St Joseph's in Hopetoun, to support their current Principal, who is undergoing treatment for her health. Having been born in Hopetoun and taught at the school in earlier years, the community holds a very special place in my heart. I’ve had the privilege of teaching some current staff and parents, and I know this will be a meaningful opportunity to give back. Whilst the school is small, it has a teaching load of three days a week, which is a significant amount of work alongside the usual demands of running a school.

This time away will also allow me some precious time with my 94-year-old Dad, whose health is declining. This is set to commence on Thursday, 5th June. 

Following this, I will be commencing my Principal Enrichment Leave. After eight years of Principalship and 33 years in education, I recognise how important it is to take time to reflect, re-energise, and reset. While it will be my first significant time away from St Columba’s, I do so knowing that a period of pause is exactly what the body and spirit need to continue serving our wonderful school community with renewed energy. I will return to St Columba's in mid-August. 

I want to thank Shaun and our team for their ongoing support in making this period of relief and renewal possible.

P&F Fundraiser - FOR THE LADIES

Important Dates