Term 1 Week 1

Dear Families,

As we begin another exciting academic year, I am delighted to extend a warm welcome to every member of our St Columba’s community.

The start of a school year is a special time—filled with anticipation, new opportunities, and the promise of growth. It marks the beginning of a journey where we will learn, challenge ourselves, and create lasting memories together. This year, we continue our commitment to academic excellence, personal development, and community engagement.

To our returning students and families—welcome back! A new year brings fresh beginnings and new goals to achieve. Your enthusiasm for learning, culture, and sports enriches our school. To our new students, a special welcome to you. We look forward to getting to know you, supporting your talents, and helping you feel at home in our St Columba’s community.

Families, your partnership is invaluable to us. Open communication and collaboration are key to creating an environment where every student thrives. We have several events throughout the first term to involve you in your child’s educational journey. Please stay updated through our regular newsletters to ensure you don’t miss important school events.

Staffing 2025

We are excited to welcome the following new staff members to St Columba’s:

· Tania Rhodes – Year 3/4 Teacher

· Rebecca Marshman – Year 5/6 Teacher & PE

· Sarah-Jane Bernhardt – Counsellor & Chaplain

· Rick Dekker – Groundsman & Maintenance

Parent Information Evening

Our Parent Information Evening will take place on Tuesday, 11 February (Week 3, Term 1). While many of you may have already met with your child’s teacher, this evening provides another opportunity to hear about the year ahead.

Schedule:

· 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM: Family picnic gathering (Free sausage sizzle for all students)

· 6:00 PM – 6:30 PM: Parent Information session in your child’s classroom. Teachers will remain after the session to answer questions or meet with those juggling multiple year levels. All students to remain in the school yard under staff supervision.

Home/School Communication

Our primary communication tool will be the Seesaw app, used for sharing your child’s schoolwork and important updates. If you have not received details, information will be sent home soon by class teachers.

• Absences: Please report absences directly to the front office. If outside office hours, leave a message.
• Bus Changes: Any changes to bus arrangements must be communicated through the office.
• Right to Disconnect: Teachers are encouraged to maintain a healthy work-life balance. While staff will respond to messages within 24 hours, they are not expected to reply outside work hours unless the matter is urgent. Your understanding and respect for this policy are appreciated.

Student Supervision Reminder

Morning supervision begins at 8:30 AM. If you need to drop your child off earlier, please speak with your child’s teacher or a member of the leadership team to make necessary arrangements. Thank you for helping us ensure a safe and supervised environment for all students.

Nuts and Allergies

At St Columba’s, we strive to maintain a nut-free environment to protect students with severe allergies, some of which can be life-threatening. We ask parents and caregivers to avoid sending nut products to school.

Food allergies are increasingly common, with at least one student per classroom likely affected. As children grow, managing allergens becomes more complex, making community awareness essential. To ensure the safety and well-being of all students, we discourage food sharing and touching others’ food. Your support helps create a safe and inclusive environment for everyone.

Thank you for your continued support, and we look forward to a fantastic year ahead!

God Bless,

Luke Buchanan

Lunch orders are available Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from the Yorketown Area School canteen via the Qkr app. You will need to update your child's year level and class for the new year which can be done via the app.

Please remember if your child requires cutlery for lunch that you either send it from home or include it in your child's order.

Any questions, please contact the school office.

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We are very excited to share that Yorketown Area School is now taking OSHC enrolments! St Columba's will be running a bus service after school to allow our families to access this new service. If you are interested, please contact OSHC Director, Kristy Evans for an enrolment form.

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