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Columba Catholic Primary School Acknowledges the Bunurong Peoples’ of the Kulin Nation as Traditional Owners and Custodians and pay respects 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.
As part of our ongoing commitment to make Columba a cultural safe environment for all children and adults, this week are inviting Scott Ratham, a South Australian Artist, to visit our school and change the landscape of our school grounds for many years to come.
Scott heads the Rusted Tin Contemporary Aboriginal Arts company and Columba is very excited that he will be working with our students to complete two large murals within the school grounds. The murals/artwork will serve as a reminder for us, as a school community, to always devote ourselves to learning the truth about our past, and collaborate together towards reconciliation, by reminding us of our place in the long-standing history of this land.
Below is an example of some of Scott's work in schools throughout Australia, and a link to an article in The Age, which featured his work and his passion for educating and supporting young Australians.
We are so thankful to the Parents and Friends for supporting and funding this initiative and we are all very hopeful that families can come and visit the school and see the work that will be a landmark not only for Columba, but the entire Bunyip community.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-10-14/aboriginal-mural-artist-frustrated-with-schools/11600104
RECONCILIATION WEEK
MAY 27- JUNE 3
National Reconciliation Week begins on 27th May 2023 and concludes on 3rd June 2023.
The 27th of May is the anniversary of the 1967 Referendum which saw over 90% of Australians vote to amend the constitution to enable Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to be included in the census and to enable the Government to create laws for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The Referendum raised expectations of the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, following a ten-year campaign.
The 3rd of June is Mabo Day, which recognises the important contribution by Eddie Koiki Mabo in bringing forth a case that accepted the claim that Mer Island is home to the eight tribes of the Meriam people, being so for hundreds of years before the arrival of the British, nullifying the claim of terra nullius. This case gave rise to the Native Title Act 1993.
A Video Message from the Director of Catholic Education
NEXT Assembly
Friday 2nd June 2:20 pm
Multi-Purpose Room
All Families Welcome
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COLUMBA CROSS COUNTRY
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CROSS COUNTRY DIVISION
On Tuesday 23rd May, children who placed in our Columba cross country got to compete at the West Gippsland Division held at Chairo in Drouin.
COLUMBA IN THE NEWS
This fortnight we have had school articles in the Warragul & Pakenham Gazette. How wonderful and proud we are of our school!
Every year on 26 May, National Sorry Day remembers and acknowledges the mistreatment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who were forcibly removed from their families and communities, which we now know as ‘The Stolen Generations’.
National Sorry Day is a day to acknowledge the strength of Stolen Generations Survivors and reflect on how we can all play a part in the healing process for our people and nation. While this date carries great significance for the Stolen Generations and other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, it is also commemorated by Australians right around the country.
The first National Sorry Day was held on 26 May 1998, one year after the “Bringing Them Home” report was tabled in Parliament. The “Bringing Them Home” report is a result of a Government Inquiry into past policies which caused children to be removed from their families and communities in the 20th century.
UPDATE ON CHILD SAFETY
Learning Environment
We are so happy with our new furniture in Grade 3/4!
Our 3/4 team has done an amazing job of being flexible and has worked together to get the new furniture into our 3/4 classrooms this week. It is great to see another truly ‘flexible’ learning space, where students work collaboratively to make the entire learning space their own. The Grade 3/4 team have embraced this change and I know the students will continue to reap the rewards of having a say on how they use their learning space, to get the best out of their learning. In 2024, our attention will move to the 5/6 classrooms for furniture upgrades! Until then, please look after our new furniture and enjoy your amazing new learning spaces.
Our school Gate's A & B have had an upgrade!
Both gates open and close automatically, which means that students can now walk through the gates when they are unlocked, even when they are not visually open.
The gates automatically open at 8:30am and lock at 9:00am. If you arrive at school between those times, the gates will be unlocked. Please encourage your child to walk up to the gate, open it, walk into the school and close it behind them.
If you arrive after 9:00am, the gates will be locked and you will need to sign your child in. A reminder that children cannot sign themselves in. If you are late, you will need to come into administration to sign in your child.
ADMINISTRATION UPGRADES
If you have visited the school lately, you will have noticed that we have installed new locks and reconfigured the Administration area so that people cannot enter the school unless they are let in. Alternately, students are not able to leave the school and do not have access to any door that is open to outside of the school.
For both these reasons, the school is safer and mitigates risk and increases the safety for our children. It also means that if needed, we can lock the school down very quickly, which would be rare but possible. Please note that while this may seem like a big change to our small country school, this is very common in most schools and there is no reason that our students should be less safe than those in bigger schools. I know you will all be very supportive of the adaptations and when needed, show patience when entering or leaving the school. A small price to pay to ensure the safety of our children.
SHADE SAILS
Our shade sail project is complete! We have added a shade sail to both Gates A & B, taking advantage of the state government's $25,000 shade sail grant offered to schools in 2020.
Both shade sails have been designed to keep the hot sun out in the summer and the rain at bay during the winter. Our shade sail on gate B will also be utilised for an outdoor learning space and for staff to eat outside during lunch breaks during the warmer months.
Pupil Free Days - NO STUDENTS 2023
Monday - 10th July
Wednesday - 16th August
Thursday - 19th October
Monday - 6th November
2023 Dates
Wednesday 31st May- Friday 2nd June - Scott Ratham, mural painting
Thursday 1st June - Regional Cross Country
Friday 9th June - Feast of Saint Columba - Columba Day
Monday 12th June - King's Birthday Holiday
Sunday 18th June - First Communion Sacrament
Friday 23rd June - End of Term 2 (Early finish 2:15 pm)
Monday 10th July - Pupil Free Day
Tuesday 11th July - First Day Back Term 3
Thursday 10th August - Book Week Dress Up Day
Wednesday 16th August - Pupil Free Day
Friday 1st September - Round Robin Sports Day 5/6
Saturday 9th September - Confirmation Sacrament
Thursday 31st August - Father's Day Event
Friday 15th September - End of Term 3 (Early finish 2:15pm)
Monday 2nd October - First Day Back Term 4 - Monday 2nd October
Tuesday 10th October - Athletics Day
Thursday 19th October - Pupil Free Day
Friday 27th October - Grandparents Day
Monday 6th November - Pupil Free Day
Tuesday 7th November - Cup Day Public Holiday
Tuesday 12th December - Grade 6 Big Day Out Gumbya World
Tuesday 12th December - Grade 6 Graduation
Monday 11th December - Whole School Transition Day (find out grades for 2024)
Wednesday 13th December - Whole School End of year Mass at Iona Church
Friday 15th December - Last Day Students 2023
School Fees and Concessions 2023
Please contact the school office if you need to discuss your 2023 school fee payment.
DO YOU QUALIFY FOR A SCHOOL FEE DISCOUNT?
For any families that have recently received a Government means-tested health care concession card, please forward a copy of your card to the office to check your eligibility, as a fee concession may apply. The card must be in the name of the parent/fee payer for a fee concession to apply.
If you qualify for this, please contact the school as school fees will be considerably less for your family.
If any families would like to set up a weekly, fortnightly, or monthly direct debit schedule for school fees, please complete the Direct Debit Form below and return it to the school office. For any assistance regarding calculations of payments, please contact us via email at: finance@bunyip.catholic.edu.au
If your current Health Care card is due to expire this year and your card is re-issued, please send a copy of your new card details to the office as soon as possible for the concession to be checked and applied for next year's fees, if not already done so.
For more FEE INFORMATION please visit our website
https://bunyip.catholic.edu.au/school-fees-and-levies
2023 School Fees Concession Program Financial Hardship
Eligible Centrelink Concession Card (CCC) Holder
Information for Applicants
Aim: To assist school families experiencing financial hardship in accessing a Catholic Primary education for their child/children.
Confidentiality: At all times, the dignity and privacy of those seeking a fee concession will be respected.
Level of Concession: School office staff can advise applicants of the concessional fee to be charged. This concessional fee is fixed annually by Diocese of Sale Catholic Education Limited. Approved applicants will be charged only the concessional fee which will cover all standard school fees and levies including any charges remaining for camps, sports and excursions after the application of the Camps, Sports, Excursion Fund (CSEF) benefit.
Eligible Concession Cards: Centrelink issues a number of concession cards for a variety of reasons. Some cards have a generous or no income test and therefore holders of these cards are ineligible for a fee concession under Category One. Only CCC’s that are eligible for CSEF are eligible for the School Fees Concession Program.
The following CCC’s are the most common cards that are eligible for CSEF. The CCC type is specified as a two or three letter code printed on the concession card.
- YA or YAL – Youth Allowance
- PPS – Parenting Payment Single
- PPP – Parenting Payment Partnered
- DSP – Disability Support Pension
- NSA – New Start Allowance
- LI – Low Income
- FA – Family Tax Benefit
- SA or SKA - Sickness Allowance
- CAR - Carer Allowance
- ABA or ABY - Schooling Applicant
- AGE - Age Pension
- AUS - Austudy
- HCC - Health Care Card
- PTA - Partnered Allowance
- SPL - Special Benefit
- WID or WFD or WFA – Widow Allowance/Pension
- The CCC must be issued in the name of the fee payer and list the students for which the concession is to be applied.
- The expiry date of the card must be on or after 1 January of the year (2023) for which the concession is to be applied.
- If an eligible concession card expires after the start of the year, the concessional fee rate will still be applied for the entire year.
- If a family becomes eligible during the course of a school year, then a pro-rata concession may be granted.
Lodgement of Application: Application for 2023 close on Friday 23rd June 2023, please lodge your application immediately for your card to be checked and a pro-rata concession to be applied if applicable.
The following application forms must be completed and are available from the school office:
- Complete the school’s application form & the Direct Debit Request (DDR) Service Agreement (or Centrepay application form)
- Submit the completed forms and present a valid CCC for verifying and copying.
- Complete and return the CSEF application form immediately after receiving it from the school.
Important Notes:
- The concession is automatic for a parent/guardian responsible for the school fees, who holds an eligible CCC.
- Any offer of a concession is subject to the applicant entering into a DDR Service Agreement or CentrePay arrangement for a regular payment plan of remaining fees (either weekly or fortnightly payments preferred). Any default in payment may result in the concession being withdrawn.
- The Direct Debit form is available from the school office or alternatively the CentrePay application form is available online at https://www.humanservices.gov.au/customer/forms/sa325.
- A CSEF application must be submitted for a concession to be granted.
- A new application must be made for each school year.
- Where the fee account is split, the concession applies to only that portion payable by the eligible card holder.
- All families requesting, or receiving, a fee concession must notify the school should their financial circumstances change sufficiently to affect the level of concession offered or if cards are cancelled.