Term 4 Week 11 Monday 13th December
Our Prayer This Week
From the Principal
Dear parents and members of our community,
This is our final newsletter for the year so I would like to express my thanks for the joy and friendship I have experienced over the last eight years as part of the St Colman's community. With the uncertainty of the circumstances in which I am leaving, there is a possibility that it will be a permanent change so I am bidding a possible farewell to the school. I have had many opportunities for personal and professional growth over my time here and St Colman's will always be in important part of my story. I hope the new staff beginning next year experience the same sense of welcome and belonging that I have.
End of Year Celebration
We will celebrate the end of our school year with an evening gathering tonight, Monday the 13th of December at 6pm at St Colman's church and a family BBQ at school afterwards (BYO drinks). On this night we will pray together, hold an art show, sing carols, celebrate the graduation of our Grade 6 children, recognise our 2022 student leaders and farewell families and staff who are leaving us. Children will need to be in their school uniform. We hope to see all our families at this event.
Swimming This Week
We are planning to go swimming as a whole school on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week. On Tuesday we will organise our swimming groups for 2022 and test the children for any progress made this year. On Wednesday we will have a fun afternoon as a reward for the dojos the children have collected this year. Can parents please organise all that your child will need on both of these days.
Library Books
With the end of the year approaching, we are asking that all library books are returned this week. This will give us time next week for our final organisation of the book stocks before the Christmas break.
Junior Excursion
Last Friday the grade F/1/2 students had a very enjoyable day on their excursion. We visited the Otway Fly, Gorge chocolates and the Timboon ice creamery on the way home. The children coped very well with the extended day and the challenges of walking high above Otway rainforest. Thanks to Vanessa Marshall for all her work to organise this day and to Jenny and Mikayla for their care of the children on this excursion.
School Fee Accounts
School Fee accounts will be emailed out today including accounts that are paid in full and in credit. Refunds were processed last week for the Hampden Catholic School Network Grade 5 and 6 excursions that did not take place in September as scheduled. Also, the Grade 5/6 Camp was cheaper than expected so we refunded $60 per child. I apologise for the lateness of these refunds which placed some people in credit. If you would like to be issued with a refund, please contact Jane.
Tomorrow I will send out an email regarding Fee information for 2022.
Online Music Concert
With restrictions on adults entering the school premises some time ago, we decided to film this year's music concert and launch it to parents and the community via our newsletter. Please click on the link below to enjoy the musical talents of our music students. A special thanks to Melanie for her persistence with lessons during some very difficult conditions this year.
School Reports
Our school reports will become available through P.A.M later this week. With more than half of this semester still under remote learning restrictions, our school reports will be a similar structure to those at the end of term 2. This is a reduced format with limited results that have been assessed over the last six weeks.
End of Year Arrangements
The final school day for the students this year will be this Thursday the 16th of December finishing at 2:15pm. The staff final day will be Friday the 17th of December. School will resume in 2022 for staff on Friday 28th of January and students will commence on Monday 31st of January.
Birthdays
Congratulations to all who are celebrating their birthdays.