The Coracle - Term 2, Week 7

Saint Columba Day

On Friday, June 7, we celebrated Saint Columba Day. This is a special and important day for our College as we reflect on the life of our patron Saint.

Saint Columba, the Latinised version of the Irish name Columcille, meaning “Dove of the Church”, was an outstanding figure among the Irish missionary monks who reintroduced Christianity to Scotland and the north of England during the Dark Ages.

Our celebrations began with a whole-school Liturgy that recalled the story of Saint Columba’s life. We also learnt about the strong connection Celtic Spirituality has with the land. As the creation story from Genesis was proclaimed, students carried symbols to represent the story. They sang, played instruments, read prayers, and performed a dance routine. We reflected on Saint Columba’s character strengths and how his work can inspire us to seek excellence in our education.

In the afternoon, time was spent having fun with art activities and creating banners in the Junior School. In our Middle and Senior Schools, there was a hotly contested House Quiz, Bridge Challenge and Jigsaw puzzle race.

Year 8 Reflection Day and Year 12 Retreat

An important part of our ‘Connect – Inspire – Celebrate’ Reflection Program is time away from our regular routines. At the beginning of the term, the Year 8s were given some space in their day to reflect on the theme of ‘Relating and Belonging’.

Their time together was spent building relationships through team games and discussing ways to increase their skills of collaboration. These days are always enjoyed by the students. They get to know other friends in their year level, and ‘take stock’ of how they are relating to their peers.

This term, the Year 12 class spent two days at their Retreat at Woodhouse Adventure Park in the Adelaide Hills. The theme they explored were the 'Five Love Languages', which are:

1. Words of affirmation
2. Physical touch
3. Quality time
4. Acts of service
5. Gift giving

During the sessions, the students also shared their vision of what they would like to be doing in 5 years and discussed how they hoped to achieve it. The Year 12 Retreat is a great time for students to relax with their classmates amidst a very demanding final year of school and create life-long memories.

Miss Eugenia Stopyra
Director of Spirituality 6-12

Active involvement and participation in Student Life activities foster essential life skills such as teamwork, leadership, time management, and resilience. These programs provide students with opportunities to explore their interests, build friendships, and develop a deep sense of belonging, connectedness, and community. By engaging in a variety of activities, students can discover their passions and talents, enhancing their overall educational experience at St Columba College.

Reflecting on Semester 1, the strategic objective of offering a vibrant Student Life program has seen remarkable progress. Key initiatives include the launch of the Student Life Reward and Recognition Badges strategy and the introduction of the Student Life Procedure, which is underpinned by the tenets of Positive Psychology. These efforts aim to foster a positive culture that permeates beyond sports, influencing academic programs and the wider school community. The College has introduced numerous new clubs and activities, fostering student engagement and leadership. These include:

Performing Arts: Junior School JAMBand, Dynamics Choir, Columba Rumba, Confi-Dance Girls and Boys groups. In the Middle School and Senior School Band and Ensembles, Catholic Schools Music Festival Choir, Intercol Choir and Dance Club. Of course, the College Musical, Frozen, is in full swing with rehearsals ahead of the Term 3 performance.

Clubs and Activities: F1 in Schools, Debating, Lego, Media, Future Problem Solving, Tournament of Minds, Chess, Tabletop games and Dungeons and Dragons.

Sports: Formation of new teams competing weekly, including netball, soccer and basketball. As well as launching teams for cross-country, AFL/ AFL W 9-a-side, and Junior School Clinics in soccer and basketball. The College also participated in competitive events such as the Northern Schools Girls Soccer League, The Open Boys Soccer Tri-League and the upcoming FUSE International eSports competition in Term 3.

Student Leadership: The College held Peer Support Training for Year 9 students, preparing them to lead small group sessions with Year 6 cohorts. As well as the Student Leadership Forum with Thomas More College and the launch of the Student Charter for Intercol.

Over 600 students and 52 staff have been actively participated in various activities in the year so far, highlighting the commitment to fostering a culture of participation, celebration, and involvement. Student Life is about offering a kinetic, diverse and engaging range of experiences that take learning beyond the classroom.

Mr Oliver Harms
Director of Student Life

Next week, our Year 10 and 11 students will be participating in examinations for selected Mathematics, Science, English and Humanities subjects. These opportunities are incredibly important in emulating the examination process for Year 12, where, in most instances, a two-hour examination contributes to 30% of a student’s overall grade.

In Years 10 and 11, the exam results do not contribute towards a student’s school or SACE grade but provide important practise for this style of assessment as they move toward Year 12. I encourage all students to approach their examinations with a committed approach, to engage in their revision materials and seek support from their classroom teachers if required. 

At the end of Week 8, all students and teachers in the Middle and Senior Schools will say farewell to Semester 1 and transition to Semester 2, which formally begins in Week 9. The main benefit of this transition is that students can begin to form relationships with new teachers and engage with their subjects before the July holidays. They will then return to a more familiar learning environment for the start of Term 3, ready to progress in their learning.

Next term, we will be facilitating subject selection and career pathway information sessions for our Middle and Senior students. We encourage all students and families to attend our ‘Futures and Careers Expo’ in Week 2. This will be an incredible opportunity to talk with industry experts and receive information about tertiary education, apprenticeships, and Registered Training Organisations. More information will be shared with families and students at the end of this term.

We are committed to providing all our students the resources and opportunities they need to achieve their goals and prepare them for life beyond school.

Mr Jack Griguol
Head of Curriculum and Learning R-12