Included this week:-
- Mother's Day
- NAPLAN Testing
- Building Update
- Congratulations
- School Uniform Proposal - survey closes this Friday
- Education Funding Update
- Next Assembly
Dear Parents and Carers
Mother's Day
Wishing all mothers a special day on Sunday. Looking forward to seeing lots of you at our special Mother’s Day Liturgy this Friday at 11.00. Please collect your child/ren from the netball court where they will be seated in classes at 10.50am and take them over to the church with you. The liturgy will be followed by the Biggest Morning Tea in the church foyer.
NAPLAN Testing
Over the last few days, children in grades 3 and 5 have taken part in the National Assessment Program Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) testing. The children are to be commended on the way they have approached these tests and the positive attitude they have had. The NAPLAN testing will conclude on Thursday. Results of the testing will be available to parents later this year.
Building Update
Work to the new Prep and 3/4 Learning Community spaces is moving along at a rapid rate. Painting, floor coverings, lighting and plumbing is all complete. Pinboard and joinery is currently being installed. Internal works should be complete by the end of next week, with external works completed the following week.
Handover of the new spaces will be on Wednesday 31st May. Arrangements are underway to move into the new spaces on Thursday 1st and Friday 2nd June. We are seeking parental help with the move. Please let the office know if you are able to spare a few hours on either of these days.
Mother's Day
Wishing all mothers a special day on Sunday. Looking forward to seeing lots of you at our special Mother’s Day Liturgy this Friday at 11.00. Please collect your child/ren from the netball court where they will be seated in classes at 10.50am and take them over to the church with you. The liturgy will be followed by the Biggest Morning Tea in the church foyer.
NAPLAN Testing
Over the last few days, children in grades 3 and 5 have taken part in the National Assessment Program Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) testing. The children are to be commended on the way they have approached these tests and the positive attitude they have had. The NAPLAN testing will conclude on Thursday. Results of the testing will be available to parents later this year.
Building Update
Work to the new Prep and 3/4 Learning Community spaces is moving along at a rapid rate. Painting, floor coverings, lighting and plumbing is all complete. Pinboard and joinery is currently being installed. Internal works should be complete by the end of next week, with external works completed the following week.
Handover of the new spaces will be on Wednesday 31st May. Arrangements are underway to move into the new spaces on Thursday 1st and Friday 2nd June. We are seeking parental help with the move. Please let the office know if you are able to spare a few hours on either of these days.
Congratulations
Congratulations to Kim Taylor on the successful completion of the UEB (Unified English Braille) Online Course. Kim has spent considerable time outside of school hours completing this course. We thank her and congratulate her on her efforts and this great result.
School Uniform Proposal - survey closes this Friday
The Parents and Friends Committee and the School Advisory Council have been involved in reviewing the current school uniform over the last 6 months. The aim of this review was to look at pricing, uniform suppliers and consistency of colour across all uniform items.
Changes to the logo on our existing uniform must be made to bring it in line with the school logo as defined in our school’s Style Guide. This will ensure that there is a consistent visual message in all our school branding. As we are also changing uniform suppliers, we have the opportunity to look at the colours of our school uniform. The current uniform is a mixture of royal blue and dark blue, as well as gold.
The proposal is to bring consistency into the uniform by changing the sports jumper, tracksuit pants, woollen jumper and hat to a dark blue that matches the current school pants, shorts, coat and backpack.
The proposed timeline for this would see changes introduced in Term 2 2018, with a 2 ½ year phase in period. Parents would then have until the start of 2021 to purchase changed items.
Feedback is being sought from our parent community in regards to the above proposal. Please click the link https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/HT7BSQY if you would like to have a say. Survey closes this Friday 12th May.
Thank you to all those parents who have already completed the survey.
Education Funding Update
Following the handing down of the Federal Budget yesterday we are waiting on further advice about the effect of the new funding proposal on St Columba’s and other Catholic schools.
The following concerns have been raised with the Government in regards to the new funding proposal:
1. Concern over the unrealistic modelling from the government about the capacity of families to increase their fee contribution
2. Concern that the disability loading will be cut significantly
3. We know that Catholic schools funding is securely indexed until 2021, but it is on a lower indexation base that does not take into account the real cost of education
4. We know that SES is not the best predictor of school need available to Government, yet this is the key indicator used in the modelling
5. We know that lower SES schools (which includes most of the schools in the Ballarat Diocese) will be less obviously affected under the new model
Please know that we are doing everything we can to address the above concerns with Government. It is unlikely that parents will see significant changes in the costs of Catholic education over the next few years.
More information about how St Columba’s will be affected by the Government’s funding proposal will be provided as soon as it becomes available.
Next Assembly
Our next assembly will be this Thursday 11th May at 2.30pm in the church. This Assembly will be lead by LG 4.
At this assembly 6 of our Prep students will be introduced to the school community by their grade 5 buddy.
The following prep students will be introduced:-
Allie Webber, Arli Ripper, Jack Brazsell, Evie Morgan, Jacob Reuterink, Liam O’Keeffe and Samara O’Keeffe
Congratulations to Kim Taylor on the successful completion of the UEB (Unified English Braille) Online Course. Kim has spent considerable time outside of school hours completing this course. We thank her and congratulate her on her efforts and this great result.
School Uniform Proposal - survey closes this Friday
The Parents and Friends Committee and the School Advisory Council have been involved in reviewing the current school uniform over the last 6 months. The aim of this review was to look at pricing, uniform suppliers and consistency of colour across all uniform items.
Changes to the logo on our existing uniform must be made to bring it in line with the school logo as defined in our school’s Style Guide. This will ensure that there is a consistent visual message in all our school branding. As we are also changing uniform suppliers, we have the opportunity to look at the colours of our school uniform. The current uniform is a mixture of royal blue and dark blue, as well as gold.
The proposal is to bring consistency into the uniform by changing the sports jumper, tracksuit pants, woollen jumper and hat to a dark blue that matches the current school pants, shorts, coat and backpack.
The proposed timeline for this would see changes introduced in Term 2 2018, with a 2 ½ year phase in period. Parents would then have until the start of 2021 to purchase changed items.
Feedback is being sought from our parent community in regards to the above proposal. Please click the link https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/HT7BSQY if you would like to have a say. Survey closes this Friday 12th May.
Thank you to all those parents who have already completed the survey.
Education Funding Update
Following the handing down of the Federal Budget yesterday we are waiting on further advice about the effect of the new funding proposal on St Columba’s and other Catholic schools.
The following concerns have been raised with the Government in regards to the new funding proposal:
1. Concern over the unrealistic modelling from the government about the capacity of families to increase their fee contribution
2. Concern that the disability loading will be cut significantly
3. We know that Catholic schools funding is securely indexed until 2021, but it is on a lower indexation base that does not take into account the real cost of education
4. We know that SES is not the best predictor of school need available to Government, yet this is the key indicator used in the modelling
5. We know that lower SES schools (which includes most of the schools in the Ballarat Diocese) will be less obviously affected under the new model
Please know that we are doing everything we can to address the above concerns with Government. It is unlikely that parents will see significant changes in the costs of Catholic education over the next few years.
More information about how St Columba’s will be affected by the Government’s funding proposal will be provided as soon as it becomes available.
Next Assembly
Our next assembly will be this Thursday 11th May at 2.30pm in the church. This Assembly will be lead by LG 4.
At this assembly 6 of our Prep students will be introduced to the school community by their grade 5 buddy.
The following prep students will be introduced:-
Allie Webber, Arli Ripper, Jack Brazsell, Evie Morgan, Jacob Reuterink, Liam O’Keeffe and Samara O’Keeffe
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