From the Head of Campus
It has been a wonderful start to the final term of 2022 and it has been a blessing for the staff team to see our students return to school happy and excited.
It was fantastic to commence the term as a Campus community in assembly on Tuesday. Principal Mr McKeeman introduced Year 11 student Isaac Boseley and Mia Bailey from Year 9 at Highton, who, together, proudly shared details regarding the College’s newly formed Reconciliation Action Plan working group. This group, comprising Isaac, Mia, College Captain Nathan Tarrant, representatives from our staff and parent bodies as well as members from our College Board, is commissioned with the responsibility of ensuring that Christian College strategically and sustainably takes meaningful action to strengthen relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. Nathan and Mia were very well received by our Bellarine students and they, along with our students, look forward to opportunities to further connect to share thoughts and reflections on the forming of the College RAP.
I wish all of our Bellarine community well for the term ahead and look forward to the various opportunities to connect and celebrate in the learning of our young people.
Nicholas Watson, Head of Campus
Cultural Competency Training
One of the compulsory components of the development of a Reconciliation Action Plan is that staff need to take part in a cultural competency session. Christian College teachers were fortunate to have Shelley Ware, a proud Yankunytjatjara and Wirangu woman, to present to us on the first day of Term 4. Shelley is a prominent media presenter, who hosts a variety of different shows. She a passionate educator that shares what is closest to her heart such as First Nations issues, females in sport, childhood education and her own journey. She believes that it is important to empower staff to be culturally aware so they can embed First Nation culture into their classrooms.
From the beginning of her presentation, Shelley grounded the staff with a connection to people and place, both prominent features of the Indigenous way of life. She highlighted the historical reality of not just her people but also gave us a personal perspective of the impact to her own family such as her grandfather having to carry an identity card. Shelley’s message was clear that this history is Australian history so it is everyone’s history. We all need to learn from it, respect the culture of others and find the beauty. By continuing to learn about our First Nations peoples and their ways of learning and living, we are on the right path to walk the journey of reconciliation together. The second session of the day saw staff from different faculties working in mixed groups. They worked with facilitators to process the learning from the morning but also to share their thoughts about the direction the school needs to take as we begin to write our Reconciliation Action Plan. It was a wonderful day being able to hear the voices of both Shelley and our staff. Next, we will work with the students to hear their voices. On behalf of the RAP Working Party
Ange Tutty
From the Chaplain
Recently I was reading through the Headspace website and came across some interesting information concerning mental health. I’ve selected parts of this information and thought it would be good to share it with you, our community.
We all at times go through challenging times. This may help you…
Contributors to mental health difficulties:
The challenges that we experience in life can often contribute to periods of difficulty. It is important to remember this is never someone’s fault. There is no one cause of mental health difficulties. Instead, there are a number of overlapping factors that might increase the likelihood of developing mental health difficulties, such as:
- Current circumstances: such as stress at school or work, money problems, difficult personal relationships, or problems within your family
- Difficult life experiences: abuse, neglect, or the loss of someone close to you
- Individual factors: coping skills and thinking styles
- Biological factors: family history of mental health difficulties
Some Hints to help…
There are a number of things you can do to look after and maintain your mental health and wellbeing. As a start, incorporate the tips for a healthy headspace into your everyday routine. This will leave you more prepared to cope with the challenges you face in your everyday life. These include:
- Get into life
- Create connections
- Learn skills for tough times
- Eat well
- Stay active
- Get enough sleep
- Cut back on alcohol and other drugs
I trust the above readings may help you at this time.
Please be aware that I am available at all times to sit with you and have a chat about any concerns you would like to share. It seems to always help to talk to someone you trust.
0434 548 691
Something to leave you with….
Jesus Christ said this,
Matthew 11:28-30
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”
Take Care
Gary Crole
Marty’s Moments
During the last week of term Marty was booked in for a little operation. The timing seemed perfect, he could recuperate for a few days and then head into the holidays all fit and well ready for a good time away.
My plans were foiled when Marty, in a quiet corner on a Sunday morning, thought it would be a good idea to go ahead and remove his own stitches. After a visit to the emergency vet to have staples inserted to replace the stitches, his recovery started again. You can see a very remorseful Marty, wearing his special protective collar in the accompanying photos.
Thankfully that whole saga didn’t diminish his love of humans or holidays, in fact Marty was the first one in the car on the day we were leaving for a trip to Phillip Island. During our time away Marty rode on a couple of ferries, he joined us bike riding and even met a group of pelicans that were gathered on the beach. Sadly, we had to visit the penguins without him, because dogs (even well-behaved ones like Marty) just aren’t allowed.
Last week it was time for a haircut before coming back to school. This week has been very exciting and busy; meeting up with the children, visiting them in their classrooms to help plan Market Day and keeping a close eye on things in the school yard. It has also been a time where Marty has had to remember all the lessons he’s been learning at school throughout the year. Slowly, but surely, we’re getting there.
Pam McKeeman
Authors of Year 3
Year 3 have been studying the ‘Mr Men and Little Miss’ Series written by Roger Hargreaves.
We have looked at the characters and the way they are formed, the structure of the sentences that he writes and the story arc from beginning, middle and end. We explored the language used to describe characters, their character traits and actions and paid special attention to the words used, in order to expand and enrich our vocabulary. We looked at how to write effective dialogue, the use of antonyms, synonyms and adjectives used for descriptions as well as the varied synonyms used instead of the word ‘said’ that matched the character and what was happening in the story.
We then planned our own stories and used dictionaries and thesaurus to carefully plan the language to use as well. We tried our best to copy Roger Hargreaves writing style to write our own stories.
We are so proud of how they turned out and we loved sharing them with Year Six and Year One.
Mrs Dalton is going to put them in the library for others to read. We are ‘real’ authors!
Please use the links here to see some of our students reading their stories to camera.
Renée Cunningham
Semester 2 Weekly Maths Challenge Number 11
Welcome back to Term 4 and to the eleventh edition of the weekly Mathematics conundrums and logical questions. Each week a different maths question is posed to share the fun of mathematical trivia. Share the delight 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 10 solution
If five cats can catch five mice in five minutes, how long will it take one cat to catch one mouse?
Answer: Five minutes. Using the information we know it, would take one cat 25 minutes to catch all five mice (5×5=25). Then working backward and dividing 25 by five, we get five minutes for one cat to catch each mouse.
Challenge Number 11 question
Let’s get back to a number related question. You might need a pen and paper for this one.
Using only an addition, how do you add eight 8’s and get the number 1000?
Remember no Googling allowed. Answer in next week’s edition of The Vine. Enjoy!
Pat Sculley
Music Camp Wrap up – What’s up next!?
Please enjoy the final video from Middle School Music Camp as we celebrate the wonderful work achieved by our young musicians. The camp has been reflected on as a wonderful chance for us to come together once again and enjoy the benefits of large-scale music arrangements. The ensembles that attended camp are excited to be performing for you at our Annual Music Evening next Thursday at Costa Hall. Groups will present to you the pieces they focused on at camp as well as some other repertoire that has been learned throughout the year. This annual concert is an amazing celebration of our college ensembles from the juniors right up to our advanced senior musicians. We look forward to seeing you there.
Sharon Huber
Gold Rush Poetry
The grade 5s have kicked off the term by exploring the art of poetry and learning how to create their own wonderful poems this week. This Includes developing their understanding of poems and rhyming. Our amazing poems are focusing on the Australian Gold Rush, which introduces and leads the students towards our exciting school camp at Sovereign Hill in Week 4, where the students explore and experience what they have been learning about so far.
Joshua Lees, Kate Pritchard, Jessica Cameron
Year 7 Humanities: Videos for Change – Update
At the end of Term 3, we shared information about student learning as a part of the Humanities component of the Year 7 ‘Words Shape Worlds’ unit. This saw your young ones given the opportunity to inspire empathy, awareness and action on important social issues through creating entries for global platform Videos for Change.
Students were able to work either individually, or in small groups, and needed to follow specific criteria regarding effective communication, emotional impact, creativity and the inclusion of a call to action.
All approved videos gained automatic entry into the 2022 Videos for Change competition, whilst 12 submissions from across the Bellarine and Highton campuses were chosen by their teachers as finalists in our very own CCG competition.
Over the break, you had the chance to vote for a CCG People’s Choice award winner. Whilst we aren’t quite ready yet to announce our winners just yet, we have updated our website to now showcase all 94 approved videos from across the Bellarine and Highton Year 7 cohort!
These have been separated into Bellarine Entries, Highton Entries, our CCG People’s Choice Finalists AND the CCG videos in the Videos for Change Australian Top 20 – as 8 have amazingly made it to this stage in the Junior division (Years 7-9) – congratulations!!!
https://christiancollegegeelong.videosforchange.org/showcase/ccg-showcase-finalists-and-winners
So, as well as updating you with the names of our winners in the coming weeks, we will also share any updates we have on student progression through the national Videos for Change competition.
The Year 7 Humanities Team
Year 8/9 Mixed Netball House Championships
And the 2022 Winners are…PENMAN!
House Sport Competition returned to the Bellarine Campus during Term 3 for our eager Year 8 and 9 students, who were ready to battle it out and show off their talents on the netball court! Our Year 9 House Captains led each of their teams with great determination over a 4-day round robin, where scores were close and flamboyant netball skills were on display! Penman and Taylor finished up with top points at the end of the matches and went head-to-head in the Grand Final. Penman was too strong for Taylor, winning comfortably in front of the excited middle school crowd on the final day of Term 3. Well done to all students who were involved in the championships, whether it was playing, umpiring, coaching, or cheering! Congratulations Penman!
Louise Bull
Year 8 Pop Up Muffin Café
After delays last term, Year 8 Food Studies students were able to make their specially designed muffins for the Middle School Pop Up Café. The highly anticipated event was once again a sell out with many happy customers. Students will now complete their design brief evaluating their product, costing and customer satisfaction.
Julie Leo
End of Term Medieval Day
To conclude our Term 3 Medieval studies in Yr 8, it was with great excitement and fanfare that we were able to once again host our very own Medieval Day on site. With all the festivities and ‘History Up Close’ experts here to make such a great day of fun and learning.
Many students enjoyed the day dressed in their Medieval English attire and displayed their social rank in the Feudal System. The students got to wholeheartedly participate in sessions on the Era’s clothing, medicines, fighting, music, dancing and even a lunchtime Medieval feast.
It was fantastic to hear the enthusiastically positive feedback from all of the students involved and to see them relish all the aspects of a full school program back in action.
Rob Moore
Bishi Leathem
Geelong Show Student Free Day and Uniform Reminders
A student-free day is scheduled for Friday 14 October. This coincides with the Geelong Show allowing families to participate in this community event.
The College hat is to be worn by all students when outside during Term 4 and Term 1, as part of the College uniform requirement. This includes PE and Sport lessons along with recess and lunch breaks. Please ensure your young person’s hat is clearly named and packed in their school bag.
For students wearing the original College uniform with a winter and summer option, the summer uniform only, is to be worn from Monday 17 October. Students wearing the mix and match College uniform can continue to wear the wardrobe options available.
Please see the College Uniform Regulations at: https://www.ccg.vic.edu.au/StudentInfo/page2.html#top
Nicholas Watson, Head of Campus
CCG Riders Excel in National Championships
Three riders from the Christian College Equestrian team qualified earlier this year to represent Victoria at the 2022 Marcus Oldham Australian Interschool Championships in Sydney. This event sees over 500 of Australia’s best riders, aged 5-18 years old, battle it out in their chosen disciplines.
CCG team captain, Jorja Kirsopp-Cole (Year 12) and her horse Rhatigan, completed three rounds of 110cm show jumping and finished 4th overall.
Liberty Armitage (Year 11) and her horse Galactic Storm competed in the combined training which comprises of both dressage and show jumping. Liberty finished reserve champion overall.
Erin Bowers (Year 7) and Argyl Star Quality competed in the secondary show horse section and, as the youngest competitor out there against students up to 18 years old, still managed to be awarded 5th place overall.
All three girls represented themselves, Christian College and Victoria so well. To be able to compete at such a high level takes dedication, persistence and sacrifice over a long period of time, and for all of them to be awarded top 6 in Australia is a credit to them and their parents who help them to get to this level.
Christian College is very proud of you all!
Term 4 2022 COVID-19 Update Procedures and Protocols
Introduction
Christian College is committed to maintaining the health and wellbeing of our staff, students and College community.
The following revisions to the COVID-19 procedures and protocols align with the Victorian Government’s announcement of the end of the Pandemic Declaration and associated Pandemic Orders. The following settings, based on advice from the Department of Health and the Department of Education for Victorian schools now apply.
If you require greater detail, please access additional information via the DHHS or Victorian State Government Education and Training websites or speak with your campus leadership team.
COVIDSafe Measures for Schools
- No student, staff member, parent, or visitor, should come on to College sites if they are unwell or have any Flu-like symptoms.
- Practise good hand hygiene, utilising the sanitisers supplied
- Utilising outdoor spaces and increasing cross-ventilation indoors where possible
- It is recommended that a person who is symptomatic, displaying cold or Flu like symptoms should undergo a COVID-19 Rapid Antigen or PCR Test.
- Staff and students who wish to wear a face mask will be supported to do so, the College will continue to make face masks available for staff, students and visitors.
Rapid Antigen Testing
Free RATs will be made available for use by all students and staff through Term 4. It is recommended that RATs are used by students and staff when symptomatic.
Reporting and Managing Positive Results
If staff or students receive a positive test result at any time, it is recommended the result be reported to the Department of Health via the COVID-19 Positive Rapid Antigen Test Self-Reporting Form at https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/report or via the telephone hotline on 1800 675 398.
Parents/Guardians must report a positive COVID-19 test result of a student directly to the student office at the relevant campus. Staff must notify their relevant College leader.
The College community will no longer be notified of a positive COVID-19 case associated with the school.
It is recommended that any student or staff member who tests positive to COVID-19 isolates for a minimum of 5 days and not attend school until their symptoms have resolved. Students who isolate as a result of a positive COVID-19 test will continue to be supported in the same way as students with an extended absence due to illness or injury, with learning materials provided to support their continued learning.
Face Masks in Schools
Current advice from the Victorian government on the wearing of face masks is available here: https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/face-masks: It states:
“Face masks can stop or slow viruses spreading in the air when you talk, cough, sneeze and laugh. Face masks lower your chance of catching and spreading an airborne virus. That’s why wearing a high-quality and well-fitted face mask can help protect you and those around you from COVID-19.”
- Staff and students who wish to wear a face mask will be supported to do so, the College will continue to make face masks available for staff, students and visitors.
- It is recommended that masks should be worn by a person who has COVID-19 for 10 days after a positive test when they need to leave home.
- It is recommended that that masks should be worn by a person who is a close contact of someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 when leaving home.
- Whilst traveling on Christian College buses, it is recommended students wear a face mask due to physical distancing not being possible.
Student Wellbeing and Digital Safeguarding: A Reminder to Parents
A reminder to parents that we will be implementing some new strategies this term to better support students and families in the digital space, particularly on College laptops, both at school and at home. Specific information about these changes was shared as part of our Wellbeing Evenings last term.
Parents who were unable to attend either of these two evenings can review a summary of key information and are also encouraged to view a recording of the evening. The summary and recording were made available via a document emailed to all parents in the final week of Term 3 by College Principal, Glen McKeeman.
All parents are encouraged to ensure they are informed and aware of these new strategies so that they can be prepared and supportive as they are implemented. Parents also still can ask questions and provide feedback via the online form link provided in the above document.
New Qustodio Parent App – Coming Soon
We know that many parents are awaiting more information on getting started with the Qustodio parent app, which we planned to provide to parents this week.
We want to ensure the experience for parents of getting started and beginning to use this tool is as pleasant and straight-forward as possible. We are delaying just a little to ensure we are truly ready. Stay tuned for more details very soon.
Christian College Canteen Manager – we are Hiring!
We seek the services of a Canteen Manager from 2023 to oversee the day-to-day operations of the school canteens at Junior School – Belmont, Middle School – Highton and Senior School – Waurn Ponds, including the supervision and rosters for relevant staff and volunteers. The role is full-time and ongoing, and also involves some catering for special events.
If you have a passion for food quality and customer sevice, a warm and friend personality, if you love working as part of a great team, have exceptional organisation and communication skills and are able to manage challenging circumstances in a calm, professional and compassionate manner – this could the job for you!
Full details, including a Position Description and how to apply can be found in the Employment section of our website.
For Families Relocating or Withdrawing Students
A reminder that if your family is relocating and/or you are planning to withdraw your child from Christian College, a full term’s notice, in writing, is required. Please contact your student’s Campus.
Jonathan Ryan, Operations Manager
Canteen not Open on Last day of Term
Please note that on the last day of Term 4, Friday December 9, the canteen will not be open.
Thank you to all volunteers for your fantastic help during the course of this term, and throughout 2022.
Recycling Uniform Items
As part of the transition to our new College wardrobe it was important that we consider the environmental impact of clothing items no longer required. Whilst it is still possible for students to wear items from the traditional uniform, when items are no longer able to be worn, they can be recycled.
Any such items can be dropped off and placed in recycling bins at each campus. We are working with our wardrobe manufacturer to ensure that these can be recycled as part of the introduction of our new wardrobe over the next 18 months.
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
What habit can you adopt or change today that will positively add to your journey?
Travelling down the same roads every day may not lead you to your desired destination 😊
Discover more about MYTERN here.
