From the Principal
Engaged and Reconnected
This term has seen a great deal of positive energy and enthusiasm across our campuses. I am extremely grateful to the staff and students for the manner in which they have jointly created a happy, engaging, and exciting learning environment and culture.
The return to the fullness of learning experiences, extra curricula opportunities, House events and community events has contributed greatly to the overall positive re-engagement for our community. I am delighted that this has been the case.
Offering a Wonderful Menu
Over the past few weeks, we have provided our families with Subject Expos to assist students to make decisions and selections for their subject choices. We also took the opportunity to invite prospective families to attend the ‘Sample Our Menu’ sessions, seeing first-hand the extensive range on offer in our Junior, Middle and Senior School contexts. Attending these events provided me with a wonderful sense of gratitude and appreciation for all that our staff and subject leaders have created for our students. The rich learning opportunities are remarkable. My thanks to the campus leadership, the Executive Director of Teaching and Learning, Mr Antony Benson, the Faculty Directors, the staff, and the students involved for their collective efforts to curate and present our college program in such an extensive fashion.
Piloting and Sharing Great Learning Opportunities
We have been blessed having Harvard University Project Zero Principal Investigator Flossie Chua return to our college to work with staff on two important programs we have been piloting in partnership with other independent schools and our peak body, Independent Schools Victoria (ISV). Flossie visited our campuses two weeks ago to observe our staff and students interacting in lessons that have been trialling a framework taking ‘Ideas into Action’ using a range of strategies in a quest to translate ideas, (principles, plans, good intentions, etc.) into action on the ground. The work undertaken by the Christian College team was later shared with other partner schools where it received high praise. The ideas that our students were exploring takes their learning beyond the classroom to make an impact in our world and community, addressing environmental and social justice issues, as well as access and equity, as part of their collective focus.
Flossie returned this week to launch a new pilot program focusing on ‘Transformative Repair’, a concept both Flossie and I have shared with staff and our community on previous occasions. This project looks at how strategic and sustained engagement with transformative repair as an artistic practice, can create supportive conditions for individuals and communities to find personal and broader purpose. This is particularly relevant and applicable in times of unprecedented uncertainty and challenge and encourages us to design effective ways to “repair” communities both literally and figuratively. The team working with Flossie will be preparing a strategic launch of this project for our college in 2023. Together with the work that our Wellbeing Team are producing, this is a very timely and supportive element of our demonstrated care for our community.
Our staff are loving the unique opportunity to work with Flossie and to collaborate with staff from other schools, alongside the ISV, in this important work. It is nourishment for their practice, and a powerful encouragement toward enhancing professional growth.
Partnering With Wellbeing
I wish to highlight the incredible work currently being done by our Wellbeing Team. The framework we have shared with you previously, designed to guide our care and support programs, is now beginning to take shape. Wellbeing involves many aspects of College life, and we are addressing each aspect strategically - from developing our Pastoral Care and Chaplaincy support, to creating a ‘Community of Respect,’ and working within our curriculum to further enhance the designated Wellbeing sessions. A particular focus we want to highlight is the cyber world that our young people navigate. To that end I commend the Parent Information Evenings which will be held on both September 1st and September 8th. I strongly encourage all families to attend and to invest this hour in support of our young people and our community. The evenings are planned to create a partnership, allowing us to work together in this complex environment, for the benefit of our students. Please register and come along. I look forward to seeing you there.
Reconciliation Action
Yesterday, I had the privilege to meet with the committee working to establish our college Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP). Since 2006, RAPs have enabled organisations to sustainably and strategically take meaningful action to advance reconciliation around core principles of relationships, respect, and opportunities together to support our journey with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The committee will be co-chaired by students and consists of representatives from our parent community, staff, our College Board, and myself. We have incredible support from Taryn Marks, our advisor, who is mentoring and guiding us to develop a meaningful RAP which will support us as a community, fostering shared conversation and future direction, as we seek to grow in our awareness and knowledge.
Providing Important Feedback
Families will have received an email invitation from ISV Data to complete LEAD Surveys - part of our way of reflecting upon our practice, processes, and culture. This feedback is benchmarked and used to monitor longitudinal data and trends which can assist us with our strategic and operational planning. I would appreciate as many families as possible responding to the survey to ensure that we capture a valid sample of responses. Staff as well as students at some year levels will also participate in this survey. It is important to hear both positive and constructive feedback. I hear parents say that they chose not to complete the survey because they are happy with the College, but we would appreciate hearing that information through the collected data. To gain a represented perspective from all college stakeholders, we would appreciate a larger sample of contributions to this survey.
A Seat in the Room where it Happens
I was invited to participate in a roundtable conversation at Parliament House in Canberra last Friday, called by the Federal Minister for Education Jason Clare MP. The meeting was attended by all the State and Territory Education Ministers and representatives from all education sectors, teacher unions and tertiary institutions. The focus of the meeting was to address the issue of teacher workforce shortages, and matters relating to initial teacher education, and the demands and conditions that impact teachers. As a community we need to seek solutions to these concerning issues.
It was a privilege for me to be afforded a voice to speak on behalf of my independent school colleagues and the communities we lead and care for. It was refreshing to witness time being invested by our ministers from across the nation to listen to our voice. There is much work to be done, but I left with a deep sense of hope, seeing our leaders presenting a genuine appetite to address the fact that the teaching profession needs to receive greater respect and support to best meet the complex needs of the young people in our schools today and in the future.
As always, I continue to hold my colleagues in education in high esteem, and I remain grateful for the significant and vital work they do each day in their classrooms, and throughout the broader community. They invest generously in the lives of students and indeed families. I look forward to further conversations and action plans addressing the delivery of collective support for the important work done by Teachers.
As Nelson Mandela said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” Education is the key to eliminating gender inequality, to reducing poverty, to creating a sustainable planet, to preventing needless deaths and illness, and to fostering peace.
Why wouldn’t we support and respect our teachers?
It begins with each of us. I believe in the power of education and in the shared partnership that we enjoy with students, families, and the College - working together with purpose to make the world a better place and to see humankind flourishing. We each have a responsibility to value and support one another in this process.
To conclude, I offer one more quote from Nelson Mandela; “We can change the world and make it a better place. It is in your hands to make a difference.”
What’s on the ‘Learning Menu’ at Bellarine in 2023
The Music Foyer was alive and buzzing Wednesday evening with 2023 Year 5-9 students and their families attending the Campus to explore what is on the ‘Learning Menu’ for 2023 and beyond. It was a real blessing for our staff to talk with so many students and families and it was wonderful to welcome many new families who will be joining our Campus for the first time in 2023.
Faculty leaders and teachers from across each of our subject areas were on hand to outline key concepts, learning tasks, peak experiences and pathways associated with our enormous ‘menu’ of core, elective and specialist subject offerings afforded to our students.
With so many diverse subjects to choose from, it can be difficult for our students to decide what they would most like to study. This event is designed to support this process and empower our young people to begin to curate their own learning experience through their educational journey. Whether a young person is most interested in sports, the arts, languages, sciences, the great outdoors, technology, the humanities, or something else, at Christian College we are proud to offer engaging, relevant subjects for all learners.
Wednesday’s event allowed a return (of sorts) to pre-pandemic times, making visible to all of our community not only the breadth and depth of the learning ‘menu’, but also serving as a reminder for our community of the personalised approach to student learning here at Christian College, the richness of teacher and student relationships, and the importance of partnership between our College and our families. Thank you to all of our students and families for being a part of this important occasion.
A reminder that students who will be in Year 7, 8 or 9 in 2023 are required to enter their elective subject preferences. These are due by 8pm on Wednesday, August 24, allowing sufficient time for thoughtful consideration of preferences. Current students have been emailed with the necessary link, whilst future students have had the link sent to a parent. Please look for an email from noreply@selectmysubjects.com.au and contact Mr. Andrew Platt should you require any help at a.platt@ccg.vic.edu.au.
Significant Capital Improvements for Bellarine Campus
Our students have been captivated this week as the diggers and trucks rolled into the Bellarine Campus. Commencing this week are significant grounds improvements and development of student recreational and passive amenity. The stone walkways through the Junior School area are all being concrete paved with enhanced drainage and landscaping included as part of those works. Three 3 on 3 Basketball, Netball and Games hard surface areas are being established in the centre of the Campus, along with paving to connect the Middle School learning areas. The space will be softened with grass spaces and trees which will dramatically improve the aesthetics of this area for our students. While the Campus is a little messy at present, requiring us all to walk around the works areas, we look forward to the benefit that these works will have for our community once complete.
Reserve Your Place!
Wellbeing Evening and Cyber Safe Schools Program Launch
We enjoyed a fantastic night with the parents, families, students and staff attending the first Digital Wellbeing Evening held at our Senior School Campus last night, Thursday 1st September. If you have not yet taken the opportunity to reserve your place at the second and final of our two nights, please save the date and reserve your place now! We would love to see you there. We encourage you to take a few minutes to view the video below to find out more about this important event. The evening will be presented at our Bellarine Campus next Thursday 8th September starting at 7pm. We expect to run for about 45 minutes, finishing with time for questions and a cuppa together.
We ask all Parents and Families to share their attending intentions with us via our online RSVP Response Form. Please access the form by clicking the image or link below.
https://forms.office.com/r/QwN6TXBE41
Celebrating all Things Footy
Coming into the season of football finals and fierce rivalry, it seemed to be the perfect time to celebrate the AFL teams we love. So last Friday the Bellarine Campus held a Prep – Year 4 ‘All Things Footy Day’.
During the morning session the children were involved in a range of football skills rotations on the oval. As you can see from the photos even Marty was in on the fun and frivolity, wearing his Brisbane Lions colours with pride!
Once their skills were honed, they returned to classrooms where all of the Literacy and Maths lessons were staged around the AFL theme. Just before lunch an ‘all in’ epic, AFL theme song singing competition was waged in the Auditorium, where classics like the Tigers, Magpies, Melbourne and of course the Cats anthems were sung out loud and proud with all the passion the children (and teachers) could muster! Once the singing competition had been run and won, we were all invited to enjoy a classic AFL hotdog lunch. Themed days such as this, not only bring an added interest and enthusiasm into the student’s learning, they allow us to have fun together as a community and really appreciate the wonderful experiences that are presented.
Year 2 Japanese Learning Expo
On Thursday 11th of August, the Year 2 students presented their Japanese Learning Expo. Family, friends, students, and teachers visited the expo to experience the following activities presented by the Year 2 students:
- Tongue-twisters
- Playdough colour letter making
- Japanese phone numbers
- Making origami pets
The visitors left many positive comments about the student’s efforts and their leading of activities on a feedback sheet. Some of the comments are below:
- “The activities were very interactive and enjoyable.”
- “The presenters had such excellent skill with their Japanese.”
- “Creative and great presenters.”
- “I liked making the cats and dogs.”
The Year 2 students would like to thank all the visitors for coming to encourage them and celebrate their learning in Japanese so far this year.
A Message of Kindness
The Junior School was very excited to welcome a group of Year 9 Prefects to our assembly this week. The Prefects presented a devotion on kindness to the younger students and shared a wonderful message about treating friends, family and others with a caring and compassionate heart. The Prefects pitched their message perfectly, as the Junior School students listened intently and nodded their heads in agreement.
It was pleasing to see these young people making the time and effort to share of themselves for the benefit of those in the Junior School. They are a great example of fine character and the capacity to lead with excellence. Their message on kindness is one that I’m sure will be remembered by the students themselves and drawn upon by teachers in classes across the Bellarine Campus.
Year 2 Measurement
The Year 2 students have been enjoying their Maths measurement unit of work. Lots of fun has been had measuring different items including the length of the playground equipment, the weight of a favourite book and the capacity of different containers.
Students have been learning the importance of estimating and then measuring accurately. They have learned the difference between informal and formal measurement, and why being able to measure accurately is so important.
National Science Week
This week around Australia, National Science Week has been celebrated. Here at Bellarine, we have been continuing with our broad range of scientific studies, including topics such as: What would it be like to holiday on another planet in our solar system? How strong are different adhesives and where could they be used? How can mixtures be accurately separated? How does our circulatory system work and what is our heart like? How does heat energy transfer and what can impact the efficiency of this heat transfer. It has been pleasing to see so many students take up the opportunity to enter the National Science Week CCG colouring, drawing, photography, or creative writing competitions, which had the theme of ‘Glass – More Than Meets the Eye’. Competition results will be announced in the coming weeks.
Overall, a wonderful week of inquiring, in relation to the world we live in.
Sophie Maye, Jorge Viegas, Kelly O’Neil
Science Teachers
5/6 Hoop time
On Thursday the 18th of August, 16 students headed out to AWA stadium to participate in Hoop time: a basketball competition for students in Year 5 and 6. All students represented the school with enthusiasm, teamwork and sportsmanship. It was particularly great to see those students who haven’t played much basketball before improve as the day progressed. Thank-you to Flora Murdoch for all her organisation and to Mr Crole and Mrs Pritchard for all their work and encouragement on the day.
Semester 2 Weekly Maths Challenge Number 6
Welcome to the sixth edition of the weekly mathematics conundrums and logical questions. Each week a different fun question is posed to share the fun of mathematical trivia. Share the joy with your family and friends and amaze them with your maths skills! Did you get last week’s answer? Check out the solution below!
Challenge Number 5 solution
Q1) There are two ducks in front of a duck, two ducks behind a duck and a duck in the middle. How many ducks are there?
Answer: Three. Two ducks are in front of the last duck; the first duck has two ducks behind; one duck is between the other two.
Q2) Five people were eating apples, A finished before B, but behind C. D finished before E, but behind B. What was the finishing order?
Answer: CABDE. Putting the first three in order, A finished in front of B but behind C, so CAB. Then, we know D finished before B, so CABD. We know E finished after D, so CABDE.
Challenge Number 6
For this week’s challenge I’ve gone for a question that will engage the mathematical logic side of your brains. Remember no Googling allowed. Answer in next week’s edition of The Vine. Have fun!
Question:
The day before two days after the day before tomorrow is Saturday. What day is it today?
Year 7 Food Studies – Healthy Breakfasts
Following a series of different breakfast cooks, students were tasked with designing their own. The design brief had to include two different design options, be nutritionally appropriate for the target age group, contain seasonal ingredients and consider sustainability where possible and finally… TASTY.
Pancakes, waffles, smoothies, oat bakes and scrambled eggs were just some of the dishes. Needless to say, the kitchen smelt amazing!
Darmawisata ke Konsulat Jenderal Republik Indonesia
Excursion to the Indonesian Consulate General
On Friday, 12th of August, students of year 8 Indonesian spent their day at the Indonesian Consulate in Melbourne to immerse in the language and culture of our nearest neighbour. Students were welcomed by the staff representatives and introduced with an interactive quiz-like presentation about Indonesia. The consulate staff expressed how impressed they were at our students’ enthusiasm and knowledge about Indonesia. The students also had the opportunity to meet and greet the current Consul General, Mr. Kuncoro Waseso.
Students participated in various workshops including a traditional music ensemble known as Gamelan and a traditional dance from West Sumatera, called Tari Inding. In between their activities, students tried some delicious Indonesian sweet and savory snacks.
This excursion was designed to give the students an opportunity to use the language they have been learning in class, such as “Mau ke mana?” (Where are you going?), Naik apa? (How did you get there?), Bagaimana rasanya? (What does it taste like?).
Thank you to all parents for your support and cooperation. Without this, we would not be able to make these valuable and rich learning experiences happen.
Discovery Centre, Dissections and Beachcombs…
It has been a busy two weeks in the Marine Studies program with students engaged in fish dissections, a visit to the Marine and Freshwater Discovery Centre (MFDC) and a beachcomb along the Barwon Bluff Marine Sanctuary. These hands-on practical experiences have been designed to further the students’ grasp on the word adaptation. Not only have students been able to talk to passionate marine scientists about a local marine animal they are researching, they have also had the opportunity to apply the theory learnt at school and the MFDC to practical fieldwork experiences where they identified marine flora and fauna and investigated ways in which these are able to ‘adapt’ to their local environments.
LEAD Surveys
A reminder to all College families – you will have received an email invitation from Independent Schools Victoria Data to complete LEAD Surveys - part of our way of reflecting upon our practice, processes, and culture. Staff and students at some year levels are also invited to participate.
We highly value both positive and constructive feedback and rely on the data collected from these surveys to assist with operational and strategic planning. To this end, we would encourage and ask as many families as possible to respond to the survey to ensure we are working with an accurate representation of perspectives. The closing date for surveys is a week from today – please consider participating if you have not done so already. Thank you.
Camp Australia Staff Recruitment
Camp Australia, the nationally recognised leader in Outside School Hours Care, is seeking new team members - please click on the link to the poster below:
Important VET Information for Subject Selection 2023
Vocational Education Training (VET) is offered as a subject in Year 10, 11 and 12 at CCG Senior Campus. Students travel off campus to either The Gordon or a government or catholic school (non-Gordon) who offer the courses one afternoon a week. Year 10 students study VET as well as VCE Unit 1 Industry and Enterprise over the whole year which includes a week of work experience. VET is mandatory for students studying the new VCE Vocational Major (VM) and optional for VCE students. More information can be found in the subject selection booklets and on the Senior School Hub – VET for 2023 on SEQTA.
VET Course Information, Application Processes and Dates for 2023
- SELECT VET AS A CCG SUBJECT.
- Create a Unique Student Identifier at https://www.usi.gov.au/
- Choose your VET course from either The Gordon or Non Gordon
- APPLY FOR YOUR VET COURSE.
Non-Gordon Courses (Government and Catholic School Offerings)
Course information and application form can be found on the Senior School Hub. It will also be emailed to all Year 9 students and parents.
A hard copy application form is to be completed and returned to the CCG Senior Campus student office.
APPLICATIONS OPEN AUGUST 2nd FOR ALL STUDENTS
Second year students need to complete the application form to reapply for 2023.
Gordon Courses
COURSE INFORMATION AND ONLINE APPLICATION LINKS CAN BE FOUND ON Senior School Hub – VET for 2023 on SEQTA or by visiting https://www.thegordon.edu.au/sitedocs/publications/vet-delivered-to-secondary-students-guide.aspx
APPLICATIONS OPEN AUGUST 16 – VCE, VCE VM & VPC STUDENTS only
APPLICATIONS OPEN AUGUST 30 – YEAR 10 STUDENTS
Second year students do not need to reapply.
General Information
Early applications are highly recommended to secure a place. Most VET course run over 2 years. VET typically runs on Wednesday afternoons for 1st Year students and Monday afternoons for 2nd year students.
Year 10 VET students’ study VCE Unit 1 Industry & Enterprise for 3 periods a week and attend VET for 2 periods a week. They do a work placement in the first week of the holidays at the end of term 2.
CCG provides transport to VET – students make their own way home. VET courses incur an additional fee that is course dependent. CCG offers a subsidy.
For any queries about VET please contact me at Senior Campus or at k.fearnsides@ccg.vic.edu.au
THE GORDON VET STUDENTS
2nd Year Gordon students do not need to reapply. Please notify the student office if you plan to withdraw for 2023.
NON GORDON RTO’s, Belmont High, BSC, MFSC & Covenant College
2nd Year students must reapply, application forms available from the Student Office or on the Senior Hub.
Scholarship Applications for 2024 Entry now Open!
Each year we offer Academic Excellence Scholarships for entry at Year 5 (Middle School-Highton, Bellarine and Surf Coast campuses); Year 7 (Middle School-Highton and Bellarine); and Year 10 (Senior School-Waurn Ponds).
These scholarships have been designed primarily to encourage and support new and current students who wish to attend Christian College and who demonstrate high levels of academic excellence.
We are now seeking scholarship applications for entry at any of those year levels in 2024.
For more information, and to apply, please see our website. Use the hotlink from our homepage or click here
Applications close on Thursday September 29. The examination date is Saturday October 8.
East Timor Trivia Night
Golf Tournament
The Foundation Golf Tournament is set for Thursday, 27 October 2022. Join us at 13th Beach Golf Links from 8:00am for a shotgun start. Tickets are $190 each ($150 for members) or $750 for a group of four. RSVPs close on Thursday, 6 October 2022 at 5:00pm.
Funds raised from this event will be allocated to our Foundation Scholarship Fund, supporting current students who are in need of financial assistance.
Book online at: The Foundation Golf Tournament
A MYTERN Thought for This Week
Language influences thinking. So, if you want to change your thinking patterns, then you need to change your language. MYTERN provides that language. Start simply. Changing "bad and good" to "rough and smooth" reduces the judgement you have towards yourself and others. Even such a small change has proven to be life changing 😊👍
Discover more about MYTERN here.