The Coracle - Term 4, Week 9

As we finish this school year, we say thank you for your partnership and continued support throughout the year.

There is an African proverb which says, “It takes a village to raise a child.” This means that an entire community of people must interact positively with children, to enable those young people to thrive in a safe and healthy environment.

Our community is driven by a shared purpose, to ensure positive educational and developmental outcomes for children, in a faith community with common values. With your support, this positive sense of community in 2022 has led to children belonging, connecting and learning to reach their full potential.

The many events that saw us conclude the year, including the Year 5 'Rite of Passage' and  the Junior School 'Prayer and Presentation', enabled us to celebrate milestones, achievements and individual growth that every student has made. It was wonderful to have so many parents and caregivers attend.

I want to acknowledge the tireless efforts of the Junior School staff who have worked under challenging conditions once again in 2022, and with great dedication and passion for their work with students. We say thank you and farewell to the following Junior School staff as they move on to new experiences in 2023: Mr Peter Pudney, Mr Matthew McGinty, Mrs Sarah Cakalci and Mrs Samantha McCarthy. We also wish Mrs Jade Salier and Mrs Samantha Griguol well as they commence maternity leave.

We look forward to seeing you again in 2023 and with the opportunity to meet the teachers on Friday 27 January, with school commencing on Monday 30 January.

May this Christmas season bring your family joy, hope, peace and love. It is a time of God showing His great love for us, through the celebration of God's ultimate gift: the birth of Jesus, the Christ child.

Merry Christmas!

Mrs Julie Hancock | Head of Junior School

Transition & Orientations Days

In Term 4, we were able to facilitate various transition sessions. The Year 5 into Year 6 sessions allowed students to meet key staff on the Middle School site and familiarise themselves with our facilities. Students were able to develop an awareness of 'what life is like' in the Middle School. We also conducted the Year 7 and 8 Transition Day, which introduced the new students to their class buddies and to also get a ‘taste’ of the teaching and learning that occurs in the Middle School.

The Rite Journey Homecoming Ceremony 

On the last day of term, our Year 9s celebrated the Homecoming Ceremony, which signifies the end of The Rite Journey (TRJ) program and marks the transition into Senior School. TRJ highlights the journey and movement from childhood to adulthood for the students. During the ceremony, the students reflected on what they learnt about themselves and what were their greatest challenges. The ceremony also provided us with an opportunity to present the students with their Middle School Completion Certificate. I wish the 2022 Year 9 cohort all the best with their future studies.

Middle School Reflections

As we conclude another academic year, I would sincerely like to thank all parents and caregivers for your ongoing support with your children’s education. After a challenging two years through the pandemic, I feel that a great sense of community has been re-established this year and I look forward to working with you next year. I feel our students are well-placed to succeed and flourish into the future. We aim to work together to develop our young people into 'Empowered Compassionate Global Citizens', which is a key strategic goal of the College.

Finally, I would like to acknowledge the work of our dedicated staff, both teachers and Educational Support Officers (ESOs) for the extraordinary care they provide the students and families in our community.

Have a blessed Christmas and I look forward to seeing you in 2023.

Mr Shane Dowling | Head of Middle School

This year saw the implementation of the Student Reward and Recognition policy, where students were recognised for their positive behaviour and choices. At St Columba College, we understand the importance of recognising those students who do the right thing. Many of our students regularly display positive behaviour and academic choices throughout the school day, and these are rewarded and acknowledged through the awarding of a Gold Slip.

Students who received three Gold Slips in a week have had VIP access to the canteen, and then the top 10% of students who received Gold Slips each term, from each sub-school, had a pizza lunch.

To recognise the students’ fantastic achievements of consistent positive behaviour and choices, at the end of the year, the top 40 students from each sub-school participated in a celebration day. This involved a breakfast cooked by the College Leadership Team, participating in an activity off-site (BOUNCEinc or go-karting), being able to wear casual clothes for the day and have a pizza lunch.

It was wonderful to share their achievement with parents at the breakfast, and the students enjoyed the opportunity to celebrate their achievements with their parents. Students had a terrific time participating in the activities of trampolining, climbing and flipping at BOUNCEinc, and bumping, spinning and racing go-karts against staff and students. The smiles, laughs, pride and enjoyment were evident on their faces as they participated in their activities.

To quote many of the students: “today was awesome and so much fun” and “I’m going to try even harder next year to get more gold slips, because I don’t want to miss out on this”.

Congratulations to all students who received a Gold Slip this year. Well done for making positive choices and demonstrating positive behaviour, in and out of the classroom. I am proud of the students making those positive decisions throughout the year, which have enabled them to create better habits and achieve more in different areas.

Mr Craig Bonnett | Director of Wellbeing