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Columba Catholic Primary School Acknowledges the Bunurong Peoples’ of the Kulin Nation as Traditional Owners and Custodians and pay respect to their Elders past, present, and emerging.
Columba acknowledges the Bunurong’s continuing relationship to the land and waterways and respects that their connection and spiritual identity are maintained through ancient ceremonies, songlines, dance, art, and living culture.
We pay tribute to the invaluable contributions of the Bunurong and other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Elders who have guided and continue to guide our work.
Principal Message 25th July 2025
Dear Parents and Guardians,
Welcome back to a brand new term at Columba! We hope you and your children had a wonderful and restful holiday break. It's truly fantastic to have the playgrounds buzzing and our classrooms filled with the vibrant energy of our students once again.
While the students were enjoying their break, our team has been hard at work making improvements around the school. We've completed essential maintenance on the doors in the senior and Grade 3 buildings. You'll also notice the fresh, new fascias on our Grade 3, Art and Japanese classrooms, giving them a bright, updated look. We'll soon be commencing work on the railings on the portables to further enhance their appearance. For lunch time play, new soccer goals will be installed in th enear future. And while it might sound a little bit "boring" to some, we've also begun the important process of installing new split systems in our Grade 1 & 2 buildings, which will provide a more comfortable learning environment for our younger students in winter and summer.
As we look ahead to Term 3, we have an exciting calendar of events planned for our school community. We have just completed NAIDOC Week, running from the 6th to the 13th of July, a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the history, culture, and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Get ready to put on your dancing shoes because we're hosting a fantastic Disco on Thursday, July 31st! Students in Prep, Grade 1, and Grade 2 will enjoy their boogie from 4:00 pm to 5:30 pm, followed by Grade 3, 4, 5, and 6 students from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm. It promises to be a night of fun, music, and great memories!
Looking further into the term, we will celebrate Indigenous Literacy Day on Wednesday, September 3rd, promoting literacy and celebrating the rich stories of Indigenous Australians. Shortly after, on Thursday, September 4th, we'll be hosting our special Father's Day Event and Father's Day Stall, a wonderful chance to celebrate the important male figures in our students' lives. Finally, get those creative costumes ready for Book Week Dress Up Day on Friday, September 5th, where we'll encourage our students to immerse themselves in the joy of reading and their favourite literary characters.
Please note a change in date for our Grandparents Day celebration, which will now be held on November 13th.
Term 3 is a particularly vital period for our students to consolidate their learning from the first half of the year. This term provides an excellent opportunity for students to deepen their understanding, apply new skills, and make academic progress as we head towards the end of the year. We encourage all students to embrace the challenges and opportunities this term presents with enthusiasm and effort.
I also strongly encourage open communication between home and school. Please do not hesitate to reach out to your child's classroom teacher if you have any questions or concerns. Our leadership team is also here to support you. For any broader school matters, please contact:
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Caz Websdale, Deputy Principal and Head of Teaching and Learning - cwebsdale@bunyip.catholic.edu.au
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Lizzy Cunningham, Mental Health Leader in Primary School - lcunningham@bunyip.catholic.edu.au (can support students and parents)
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Katelyn Sligar, Leader of Learning Adjustments and Support - ksligar@bunyip.catholic.edu.au
Our Middle Leaders of Learning are also available for specific year level queries:
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Kate Muccignat (P-1) - kmuccignat@bunyip.catholic.edu.au
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Shae Forster (Grade 2-3) - sforster@bunyip.catholic.edu.au
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Tory Parker (Grade 4-6) - tparker@bunyip.catholic.edu.au
For finance-related enquiries, please contact Meg Watts at finance@bunyip.catholic.edu.au, and for general administration needs, Belinda Fawkner at office@bunyip.catholic.edu.au.
We are looking forward to a productive and enjoyable Term 3 filled with learning, growth, and community spirit. Thank you for your continued support and partnership in your child's education.
Take care
Andrew Greco
Principal
Religious Education and Sacramental Team
A Window Into Learning At Columba
On Monday, the staff of St John's Koo Wee Rup and St James Nar Nar Goon joined Columba staff for a Parishes in Partnership (PIPs) professional development day. Our speakers were Dr. Alice Youlden, who is the Religious Education leader at DOSCEL, and Peter Murray, who is the Indigenous and Torres Strait Island education leader at DOSCEL.
The day started with a Welcome to Country from local elder Aunty Cheryl Drayton. Staff learned how customs and culture help guide spiritually, our sense of self, where we have come from, and where we are going. This relates to us as individuals and as educators. Learning from each other helps us to build better relationships and environments with an aim to a better future in unity.
The next time we gather will be on
Fri 1st August Junior School assembly
hosted by Prep M
in the MPR
2:30 PM
The value is Fairness
Parents & families are welcome to join us!
More celebrations coming soon!
Important Information for this Fortnight
Pyjama Day Success: Supporting Our Community with a Heart for Justice! ?
What an incredible effort, everyone! Our recent Pyjama Day fundraiser, held on the last day of Term 3, was a wonderful success. Together, we raised a fantastic $384.10!
We are thrilled to announce that these funds have been proudly donated to the Bunyip Kinder. This contribution will support their efforts in their own fundraiser, making a real difference in our local community.
Where Your Generosity Goes ?
The funds raised through initiatives like National Pyjama Day, which inspired our event, go towards The Pyjama Foundation's "Love of Learning Program." This program provides crucial learning skills to children in foster care, funding educational resources, and fostering stable, positive relationships through volunteer "Pyjama Angel" mentors. These mentors offer one-on-one support, empowering children with essential learning, life skills, and confidence. Our donation to Bunyip Kinder, in turn, helps them continue their valuable work within our community, which aligns with these supportive goals.
A Link to Catholic Social Teaching ❤️
Our Pyjama Day fundraiser beautifully embodies several core principles of Catholic Social Teaching (CST), particularly:
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The Common Good: By working together to raise funds, we contributed to the well-being of the broader community, ensuring that all members, especially the most vulnerable, have the opportunity to thrive.
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Solidarity: Our collective efforts demonstrate solidarity, recognizing that we are all interconnected and have a responsibility to support one another, especially those in need within our local area.
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Preferential Option for the Poor and Vulnerable: By supporting children's education and well-being through initiatives like those supported by the Pyjama Foundation and Bunyip Kinder, we are actively prioritizing the needs of the most vulnerable in society.
Thank you once again for your incredible generosity and participation! Your contributions truly make a difference in building a more just and compassionate community.
'Pupil-free days, student-free days, school closures' are days of no school for students. These are scheduled days for either Professional Development (PD) for staff, Time In Lieu (TIL) days where staff have worked overtime, or school closures where no one is at school.
6th- | 13th | July | - NAIDOC Week |
Monday | 21st | July | - Student Free Day - No classes |
Tuesday | 22nd | July | - First Day of Term 3 for all students |
Thursday | 31st | July |
- Disco (Prep, 1 & 2: 4 pm-5:30 pm Grade 3, 4, 5 & 6: 6 pm-7:30 pm) |
Wednesday | 3rd | September | - Indigenous Literacy Day |
Thursday | 4th | September |
- Father's Day Event - Father's Day Stall |
Friday | 5th | September | - Book Week Dress Up Day |
Thursday | 18th | September | - Last Day Term 3 (3:20 PM finish) |
Monday | 6th | October | - First Day of Term 4 for all students |
Tuesday | 21st | October | - Columba Expo Open Night |
Monday | 3rd | November | - SCHOOL CLOSURE |
Tuesday | 4th | November | - Melbourne Cup Public Holiday |
Tuesday | 13th` | November | - Grandparents Day |
Thursday | 13th | November | - Sacrament of Reconciliation - grade 3 |
Friday | 21st | November | - Colour Run |
Thursday | 4th | December | - Grade 6 Graduation 5pm-9pm |
Wednesday | 10th | December | - End of Year Mass |
Thursday | 11th | December | - Christmas Fundraiser - Movie Night |
Friday | 12th | December | - Grade 6 Gumbuya World (big day out) |
Tuesday | 16th | December | - Grade 6 Guard of Honour |
Thursday | 18th | December | - Last Day of Term 4 & 2025 (3:20 PM finish) |