Leaders’ Investiture Service

Today was a special day in the life of our Campus, as we celebrated and commissioned our student leaders who have been chosen to fulfill a leadership position this year.  We prayed for our Project Care Representatives, Junior and Middle School House Captains and our Prefects.  A special congratulations to Guy Williams and Mia Pearce on their appointment as the Bellarine Campus School Captains for 2023. 

We thank, the Bellarine Middle School Strings group, our Year 8 Vocalists and guest speaker, Mr. Timothy King for their contribution to our Leaders Investiture Service. 

We as a community look forward to working with all of our elected student leaders as they grow and develop their leadership skills, as they commit to serve and lead by example, humility and hard work. 

Bellarine Community Events 

• Junior School Assemblies – Monday mornings, 9.00-9.45 as per calendar throughout the term  
• Year 3&4 Parents – Social Coffee & Afternoon Tea (Bellarine Barn) – Monday 13th February, 2.30-3.30pm  
• Junior School Classroom Visits & Welcome Picnic (JS Classrooms, Grounds) – Thursday 16th February, 4.30-6.30pm  

• Prep to Year 2 Parents – Social Coffee & Afternoon Tea (Bellarine Barn) – Friday 17th February, 2.30-3.30pm  
• Year 5&6 Parents – Social Coffee & Afternoon Tea (Bellarine Barn) – Tuesday 21st February, 2.30-3.30pm  
• Year 7 Parents – Social Coffee & Afternoon Tea (Bellarine Barn) – Friday 24th February, 2.30-3.30pm  
• Student Learning Conferences – Teams, Tuesday 7th March, 4.00-8.00pm and Thursday 9th March, 4.00-6.00pm  
• Year 8&9 Parents – Social Coffee & Afternoon Tea (Bellarine Barn) – Friday 10th March, 2.30-3.30pm  

Wellbeing at Christian College 

Our philosophical statement reiterates that Christian College is always seeking to develop “an atmosphere of care and concern for each student’s character growth and wellbeing, within a value system and set of priorities derived from the Christian faith”. For many years our Chaplains have led the College in this important area of wellbeing. More recently we have taken additional proactive measures to build and cultivate student wellbeing in addition to enhancing our pastoral care and Chaplaincy support. We are taking meaningful and purposeful steps in this direction, and it is a real privilege to be working with and for you in the development of these areas as the Director of Wellbeing. 

Week 1 in the Prep Classroom

The newest members of Christian College Bellarine have had an excellent start at school! The Preps have been exploring their new surroundings, meeting their teachers, and making new friends. They have immersed themselves in the wonderful world of Prep by engaging in a range of activities.  
One favourite has been the Play Based Learning area where the children have enjoyed role playing in the Vet Clinic and Supermarket, making cupcakes, constructing towers, and exploring the concept of numbers and letters through play. It is such an exciting time watching all children grow, learn and enjoy being at school. 

Presentation of Year 2 Bibles

On Monday morning the Junior School students were involved in their first assembly for 2023. As a part of the Assembly, the Year 2 students were presented with their Jesus Storybook Bibles. This was a wonderful time of sending a message to our students of the value and importance of owning and reading their Bible. 

This message was supported by students speaking in front of their peers in a formal setting about their views and experiences of reading the stories in the Bible and its impact upon them. The students were also involved in a game involving blindfolds and with guides who verbally directed them around obstacles that represented challenges in life and the guides represented God’s guiding hand through these times that we could experience. The theme also moved into the area of trust and faith in God.  

It was wonderful to observe the value each student placed in their new Bible. 

Geelong Botanic Gardens

Year 1 and 2 students spent a beautiful day on Thursday exploring the Geelong Botanic Gardens, the Geelong Play Space and Eastern Beach. Our Intergrated Studies unit for this term, ‘Earth’s Resources’, involves learning about the earth’s natural resources and how we can protect and care for our natural environment. The children loved exploring these varied spaces and connecting with each other on our first excursion for the year!  

Musicians – Back in the Groove!

It has been so wonderful hearing the amazing sounds of all of our musicians as they have returned back to their classroom music sessions, instrumental lessons and school ensembles!  

There are over 30 ensembles that rehearse each week across all of our campuses and we love that so many of our students are involved. Playing music together has many benefits as well as being a lot of fun!  

If your child is interested in learning a musical instrument or joining an ensemble, please feel free to reach out to me at [email protected] or contact Music Admin at our Senior Campus at [email protected]

6S Food Studies 

This week 6S got to experience their first cooking session in the kitchen. Students made ‘Chapati’ a simple dish with many skills involved. The class firstly went to the barn garden to collect chives, rosemary and oregano then went on to practice cooking skills.  These skills included, measuring, kneading, rolling, frying, flipping, turning on stove tops as well as cleaning their kitchen bays. I was very impressed with everyone and I loved the enthusiasm and excitement of the class. 

Focusing on Kindness in Year 5 and 6 

The Year 5 and 6 students came together during Wellbeing to discuss various ways to be kind. Students listened to a book about the importance of filling one’s bucket and that we should not dip into buckets, instead fill them up! As a cohort, students took ownership of this topic by creating a ‘Kindness Box’. Each learner created a name tag and put this on the box. Students are invited to write down the name and kind act of someone that ‘filled their bucket’. Periodically, those slips will be drawn out and students that were ‘bucket fillers’ will receive a drink from the Bean Break Café.  

Year 8 English – The Hero’s Journey 

Recently, Year 8 English students were treated to a special guest speaker, Mia Kafieris, our Dean of Christian Culture and her therapy dog, Monty.  

Currently, students are studying a unit of work,  ‘The Hero’s Journey’. Mia, who has a special interest in this genre and creative writing, had students captivated as she discussed how students’ own lives are echoed in a narrative which reflects their experience of culture.  

Mia helped students delve deeper into writing and genre elements, whilst also challenging students to think about why we, as humans, are inherent storytellers and how has this changed over time. 

In class, students will be challenged to implement this learning in their own writing.  

Drama Elective – All the World’s a Stage With the Right Actor’s Tools

This term we have both the Year 8 (the Actor’s Tools) and Year 9 Drama (All the World’s a Stage) electives running. 

In Year 8, we have begun with a focus on non-verbal communication through mime. The photos below were from the class’s very first lesson together, where we took part in a workshop focusing on physical expression.  

Later this term we will develop our knowledge of Italian-based theatrical form Commedia dell’arte to further extend our expressive and performing skills, before finding our voice at the end of term when we combine these techniques in a group-devised performance. 

The Year 9s meantime, are exploring theatre traditions from around the world. They will develop skills and knowledge to create works in a range of styles including Greek Theatre, 20th century Melodrama, Elizabethan Theatre and Brecht’s Epic Theatre. 

This will culminate in these students developing and performing an original piece in one of the learned styles. 

Finally, let us not forget this year’s Christian College production – Picnic at Hanging Rock. To be performed in May. 

Canteen Service  

The Bellarine campus offers Christian College Bellarine students a fast and easy lunch service each Tuesday and Thursday.  

The Fresh Meal Fairy located in Drysdale, will be the provider of this lunch service to the Bellarine Campus. Servicing many schools across our region, The Fresh Meal Fairy offers a broad menu in line with Nutrition Australia Guidelines, made fresh daily in a local commercial kitchen that is then carefully packed and delivered to the school.   

Christian College 2023 Snowsports Team 

Did you know that Jakara Anthony, the 2022 Winter Olympic Gold Medallist in the Women’s Moguls is an ex-CCG student? 

Jakara continues to perform exceptionally well having been on the podium 16 out of the last 18 World Cups and is now the most decorated Australian Winter Olympian in history! 

The Victorian Interschool Snowsports Championships are held this year in Mt Buller from the 21st – 27th August with the XC Championships being held on the 6th August.  

If your child(ren) have not been involved previously and you would like to find out more about this opportunity, please email me at [email protected] 

You can also find out more event details at https://www.interschools.com.au/home/ 

Notice to All Parents Regarding CSEF Funding

The Victorian State Government runs a program called the Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF).  As the name suggests, the fund is designed to assist families meet costs associated with school camps, sport and excursions and requires families to apply in each year they have a child who is eligible. Families who have an eligible child will receive $125 per year for a primary aged student and $225 per year for a secondary aged student.  

If you hold a valid means-tested concession card or are a temporary foster parent, you may be eligible for CSEF. Please complete a 2023 Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF) Application Form and return to your campus administration office by the end of Term 1 please. 

Please read the attached document for further information. 

CSEF_application_form 2023

A MYTERN Thought for This Week

It’s easy to rush through a cup of tea or coffee and forget to stop and appreciate the moment. 

Take time out now to simply appreciate being able to breathe in fresh air. Take a long slow breath and feel it rejuvenate every cell. 

Make that your intention and watch your body smile from the inside 👍❤️

Discover more about MYTERN here