Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Days!
All Christian College campuses will open their doors on May 2 in the first of our Open Days for 2023.
This is an opportunity for parents/guardians and families who are considering Christian College as an option for their young people to visit one or more of our campuses, meet students, teachers and campus leaders, tour facilities, visit classes in progress and have their questions answered. It provides an authentic insight to how our College operates on a day-to-day basis. For those considering either Junior School-Belmont or Surf Coast Campus, please note our Early Learning Centres - Williams House in Belmont and Butterfield House in Torquay - will also be open for visitation at the same time as the campuses.
No booking is required, with campuses open at the following times:
Junior School-Belmont: 9:30 – 11:00am
Bellarine Campus: 9:30 – 11:00am
Surf Coast Campus: 9:30 – 11:30am
Middle School-Highton: – 11:15am – 12:45pm
Senior School-Waurn Ponds: – 11:30am – 1:00pm
If you have friends or acquaintances who are considering schooling options at any level, from Prep through to Year 12, please encourage them to take this opportunity to visit our campuses on May 2.
Any interested families who are unable to attend on May 2 can book a tour at any campus at a time that suits them by visiting our website and clicking on ‘Book a Tour’.
IWD Collection for Geelong Mums
On Friday of last week, I had the pleasure of delivering most of the donations received as we celebrated International Womens Day and collected for Geelong Mums.
Jacquie and her team were overwhelmed with the donations, which did not fit into my car and a second albeit smaller delivery is required. One of her team was in tears as I left because of the magnitude of our donation and the impact it will have.
Geelong Mums looks after more than 770 local people made up mainly of mums and their children as well as a few single dads and their children. She indicated that Geelong Mums was desperately short of nappies, shampoos and toiletries. Our donation contained many such items that will be distributed immediately.
Our Project Care representatives are invested by Philippians 2: 3-4 – Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility, others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
A Note from Geelong Mums
“Hi Andrew and Samantha – Thankyou again for organising our amazing donation today! I just can’t convey what a difference it makes so please pass on our thanks to all of the families that contributed from the Christian College Bellarine Campus!” Jacquie Geelong Mum’s
Andrew Platt, Deputy Head of Campus
Samantha Bett
Harmony Week – Cooking Around the World
In supporting Harmony Week, which runs March 20-26, Food Studies and the Library are having a Cooking Around the World Challenge. We invite all our students and families to get involved. Choose one of the attached cultural recipes from Mexico, Italy, Japan, Indonesia or Australia. Recipes have all been tested by the Bellarine Food Studies classes and can be adapted to feed the whole family
What do you need to do!
Choose a recipe
Make sure you have all the ingredients (recipes can be adapted)
Take a photo while cooking
Take a photo of your finished product with your family
Click here to upload your photos to by Sunday 26th March. Please note: photos must be uploaded by the student.
The Top 10 Photos will be displayed in the library and in The Vine next week
Have fun cooking!
Julie Leo
Scholastic Book Club
The Scholastic Book Club is back for 2023! Students in Prep to Year 6 have been given the latest Scholastic catalogue to bring home (Edition 2, 2023). All orders are submitted online via the Scholastic website and paid for via credit card. Orders are due by March 20.
Year 3 Camp at Portsea
We were blessed with glorious weather for our first day of camp. The day started well with multiple dolphin sightings from the ferry which added to our excitement. At camp we built some amazing huts and went on the flying fox, we toasted marshmallows around the fire, toured the amazing Fortification at dusk and played a huge game of ‘Spotlight’.
Our second day started well with a full night’s sleep under our belt. We tackled the high ropes course which stretched our minds and bodies in so many ways. Orienteering sent us on a journey around the camp, searching for a hidden message.
Lifesaving games started the afternoon down on the beach, and a walk to the pier and playground rounded off our afternoon. We then came back for showers and cleaning of our cabins, before watching a movie after dinner.
On our last morning at camp we walked to a private beach and had sandcastle and rock skimming competitions.
We returned home happy with grateful hearts and weary eyes, and a greater sense of pride in ourselves about all the new things we had tackled and achieved.
Our Year 9 Prefects, Ben Eden and Oliver Adair have been amazing.
Renee Cunningham
Mark Jacobi
Year 3 and 4’s Top Ten Books
This Term the Year 3 and 4 students have been spending time in groups discussing their favourite childhood books. Each student was asked to nominate their favourite book and author in order to create a list of ‘10 Books to Read Before You Turn 10!’ The purpose of this task was to create an interesting reading list for the younger students in the Junior School.
In addition to creating their top ten books list, the students in Years 3 and 4 have also been busy writing reviews of some of our new library books. These reviews, written from the children’s perspective, will be displayed alongside the new titles to once again assist our younger students in choosing an enjoyable book to borrow.
In completing this task the students have had to think about what makes a book enjoyable. Do they have a preferred genre? Do they enjoy reading Picture Story books, Non-fiction books or Junior Fiction Books? How important are illustrations in gaining enjoyment from a book?
It has been rewarding to witness rich and authentic collaboration and conversation around the children’s shared love of books and reading.
Sarah Marian
Lunchtimes in the Art Room @ Bellarine
It has been an absolute pleasure to open the art room to students at lunch times – we started it last year and it continues to be popular this year. Although it is a chance to continue schoolwork, catch up or take their work further, it also an opportunity for the students to be creative, explore what they like and have some fun bonding over their art making in any way that they want and that I can facilitate.
The art room is currently open lunch times on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays. It also plays host to our growing Warhammer & Model making club. The students involved in this club have been extremely passionate and excited to explore their passion. The club provides students a wonderful opportunity to develop their construction and assembly skills as well as their attention to detail through miniature painting. This takes a great deal of patience, and it has been wonderful seeing the students develop their abilities and paint a collection of amazingly detailed miniatures. The students have also begun playing small scale tabletop strategy games with their painted figures and we are excited to explore building terrain with the help of the school’s 3D printers, laser cutters and some old-fashioned foam and cardboard modelling.
Liam Monagle
Taste Your Words
Proverbs 12:18
Year 2/3S have been learning about the power of words and the importance of speaking kindly to one another.
At assembly on Monday, they shared with Junior School a devotion around Proverbs 12:18.
“Speak without thinking, and your words can cut like a knife. Be wise, and your words can heal.”
Year 2/3S shared times when thoughtless words had hurt them, and when kind words had built them up.
They shared a book titled ‘Taste Your Words’ which illustrates why we should think before we speak.
“Amera’s having a bad day. Her best friend ruined her cupcake and they both said mean things. When Amera brings her bad mood home with her, her mom tells her to “taste her words.” Amera’s mean words taste like rotten eggs, spoiled milk, and lemons! As Amera realizes that her mean words make her feel bad and others feel worse, she starts saying the kindest, sweetest words she can find.”
Year 2/3S are encouraging Junior School to taste their words this week and share their findings with them.
Renee Cunningham
The 11th Hour
The Year 2 students have been doing a book study this week on ‘The 11th Hour: A Curious Mystery’ by Graeme Base. It tells the story of a birthday elephant who had all his birthday food stolen. After reading it we explored parts of the story and looked at which parts were full sentences, and which were only fragments. The next day we read small extracts from the book to discuss who might have stolen the food and then looked at the joining words used in the book, because, but and so. We also spent time looking into the code hidden at the back of the book which revealed the thief. Kilroy the mouse was the culprit, much to the surprise of the class.
Jonathan Maddock
Year 9 Surfers Help Protect Coastal Dunes
Our year 9 Outdoor and Environmental Studies class were very fortunate to meet some of our hard-working local land managers to be a part of ‘Dune Care’, a government initiative aiming to protect and preserve our coastal dune systems. Through plant identification, weeding and planting, students developed a greater understanding of the roles that dune systems play in supporting our coastal areas which are increasingly impacted and influenced by the way humans live and recreate. The Dune Care session was followed by students enjoying superb surf conditions at 13thBeach. Many thanks to Alex, Brett and Andrew from our local community groups – The Marine and Freshwater Discovery Centre and Barwon Coast Committee of Management.
Here are some student reflections from our day….
“I liked learning about the native plants and planting them”
“I enjoyed learning about the sand dunes and the native plants. I loved being able to help my community by planting native plants in the dunes. The surf was great, I love the opportunity to improve my surfing as well as being with my friends”.
“I enjoyed my experience with planting at the dunes and learning about the sand dunes. I know more about plants and how to look after the sand dunes. Also, the surf was awesome too! Great waves!”
“Learning about the sand dunes and they’re significance was actually really interesting. I loved planting native plants knowing I was contributing and helping.”
Fiona Wright
College Portal – Updating Family Details
As school camps and excursions have commenced, it is recommended parents and guardians please update their student/s and family details if any changes have occurred, including contact details, emergency contacts, medical details and dietary notes, etc. This link will connect you to the College website parent portal. If you have misplaced your password please enter your mobile number to re-set.
The SEQTA homepage tiles below will lead you to separate areas to update your details.
Nicholas Watson, Head of Bellarine Campus
Future Enrolments
For Deputy Head Mr Andrew Platt, and myself, it is a real privilege as part of our roles to meet with prospective families and conduct tours around our Bellarine Campus, sharing with them the rich and authentic learning program that takes place in each classroom with your young person on a daily basis.
A tour of the Bellarine Campus provides each prospective family with a genuine ‘feel’ of everyday life and learning at our campus, and that’s something that really has to be seen and experienced firsthand to gain a full understanding and appreciation.
With Term 1 2023 well underway, it has been wonderful to have had the opportunity to meet and talk with many prospective families as to their educational aspirations for their children. We feel both excited and privileged that many families are seeking a Christian College education at all year levels. In particular, Years Prep, 5 and 7 are filling quickly for next year.
As a family within our school, should you be aware of other friends and family who may be considering future educational opportunities for their children, please encourage them to come and visit us for a tour, to experience for themselves the learning program, culture and ethos of Christian College Bellarine. Similarly, if siblings of current students have not yet had a tour of our Campus, or completed an enrolment application, to ensure a place for them I encourage parents to promptly book a tour.
Every Day is an Open Day at Christian College. To make a tour booking, please click ‘Book a Tour’ on our website homepage
Please note, along with all other campuses, we are also opening on May 2 when interested parents and others can visit between 9:30am and 11.30am with no booking required.
Nicholas Watson, Head of Bellarine Campus
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.
The Fresh Meal Fairy will use an online ordering service https://www.school24.net.au/ which also includes the option of a mobile app. The registration details including unique school ID number is included in the attached Parent Registration Guide. This is a very convenient platform for weekly student orders and payment.
Parents and students can place orders online up until 9pm on the evening prior to the service. The order is delivered to classrooms prior to lunchtime. Please see attached a parent information sheet from the Fresh Meal Fairy. Please note that Snacks for recess time will need to be supplied by parents.
Canteen Fresh Food Fairy Annoucement
MENU2023! (1)
Registration Guide – Christian College Bellarine Campus Drysdale
Families with a Newly Enrolled Child This Year: Qustodio Parent App
Activate or add new students to your Qustodio parent account.
An important element of the College's Cyber Safe Schools Program is our commitment to supporting families and parents with managing their children’s digital devices in the home, especially the College laptop.
This week, families that have one or more children who are new to the College this year received an email invitation toactivate their Qustodio parent account or add newly enrolled students to their existing Qustodio account, as part of our school program.
Qustodio is a parental control and monitoring app that we offer our parents as part of our school program. This app provides parents monitoring on personal devices and the school laptop, as well as the ability to pause internet as desired outside of school hours. Use of Qustodio is optional, and parents can learn more information about Qustodio on our Online Safety Hub.
The Qustodio parent app is available to all College families, and families with existing students in 2022 were invited to activate their parent account in November of last year. Families that have not yet activated their account and wish to, can do so by using the College’s activate now link and entering the assigned primary email for the family (as detailed in the invitation sent last year).
More Information
- Parents can learn more about our broader Cyber Safe Schools Program that the Qustodio parent app is a part of, via this information brochure.
- Parents and guardians can access technical support for the use of Qustodio on personal devices at home, via Qustodio’s Help Center.
- For support with Qustodio and school devices at home, there is a useful help page on our Online Safety Hub.
Brendan Vanderkley, Director of Digital Learning
Make a Vertical Garden at Back Creek Café!
Back Creek Café in Meredith proudly presents the first of several planned craft workshops – come along and discover how to create your own vertical garden. Two workshops are running on Saturday May 6 – at 10:30am and 1:00pm, conducted by Kathy from Coburg nursery, TD2M. Build your own standing or hanging frame, create a vertical garden to take home and learn about soils and mosses used in the process along the way.
Cost for the workshop is $90 per person with all you need provided. While you’re there, enjoy some of Back Creek Café’s delicious fare!
To book for the workshop, contact the café on 5286 1166.
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