From the Principal
The end of year has arrived rapidly, and this is an indication of how busy and full the final weeks of Term 4 have been. It has been such a relief, yet a great encouragement, to complete the full year and to see the return of the full depth and breadth of our College program throughout 2022.
Celebration Evenings and Special Occasions
Over the past few weeks, I have had the joy to attend numerous official events and special occasions that highlighted the culture, excitement and impact that Christian College continued to have on our own community and beyond. Our college truly is remarkable for the commitment and care that is provided to our students, staff, and families, and these occasions when we gather highlight what a special family this community is.
Graduation events where students and teachers spoke with genuine warmth to express the deep relationships that exist, is a testimony to the culture we enjoy. It is a privilege to shake the hands of the students at these occasions, and to see the sense of satisfaction in their eyes.
The end of year Celebration Evenings held in the Sports and Aquatic Centre at the Highton Campus provided the opportunity to gather as communities to share in celebrating the year with students, families and staff. The resounding success of each evening was a witness to the creative efforts of students and staff to provide nights that highlighted the learning, culture, endeavour and talents of our students. The central messages at each event provoked and reminded us of what it is to be human, part of God’s creation and importantly the love and peace that came to the world, God’s son, Jesus Christ.
Matthew 1:23
“Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which translated means, “God with us.”
I am grateful to everyone that attended, participated or was involved in the planning and preparation of these wonderful evenings of celebration. I particularly commend Mr Andrew Dunlop and the major events team that worked so diligently, over long hours, to ensure that the physical spaces, staging, sound, lighting, technology and all other behind-the-scenes requirements were delivered to the highest of standards.
Victorian Academy of Teaching and Leadership – Teaching Excellence Program Graduation and Celebration
Last week the Victorian Academy of Teaching and Leadership celebrated the graduation of the first cohort of educators to undertake these studies. I congratulate Ms Angela Tutty, the Director of Humanities, for being selected and for completing this prestigious program.
The event was made very special having our Christian College students chosen to provide musical entertainment at the event in the Ballroom at the Sofitel Hotel in Melbourne.
Congratulations Ange and sincere thanks to the students that performed, and the music faculty staff that supported the event.
Staffing Announcements for 2023
It is my pleasure to share with you two significant leadership appointments for 2023.
Ms Mia Kafieris has accepted the position as Dean of Christian Culture and Ms Kim Doherty has been appointed in the newly created role as Director of Wellbeing. These appointments will continue to develop and support the desire we have to create a flourishing environment throughout our College. Mia and Kim have already made significant contributions to the development of the College Wellbeing Framework. They are highly qualified and experienced to lead in these important areas of our College. I am most grateful and delighted that Mia and Kim have accepted these roles.
Earlier this year our Vice Principal, Mr Scott Elliss, experienced some personal health challenges and in 2023 he will be taking leave to support and assist with his recovery. Scott is a much-loved member of our College family and a vital member of the leadership team. We wish him well as he takes this measure to enhance his recovery, and I ask that you join me in praying for full restoration and to see him return to us in 2024. God bless you, Scott.
In 2023 Mr. Rick Geall will undertake the role as Acting Vice Principal/Head of Senior School. The Senior School leadership team will be bolstered through the return of Mr Jason O’Loughlin from leave, as Deputy Head of Campus. He will work alongside Ms Dianne Martin and Mr Damian Stephenson to ensure our senior academic and pastoral programs continue to flourish in 2023.
The end of term comes with the opportunity to celebrate the careers of our colleagues that are retiring as well as thank those moving on to new horizons. I wish each of these staff members God’s richest blessings on the next chapter of life’s journey and thank them for their service to our community. These staff members are listed in our annual yearbook, the ‘Motivator’, that was distributed to students today. Thank you to Simon and Bridget in our Marketing and Publications team, for creating such a wonderful memento for our community to enjoy as they reflect on 2022.
Christmas Greetings
As the year concludes for students today, it ends a fortnight of celebrations, farewells, assemblies and speeches for me. It is a joy for me to serve our wonderful community and I am thankful to all those that I serve beside. We belong to a truly remarkable community.
The reason for having such a wonderful community should never be taken for granted and I want to remind us all as Christmas approaches, that our College is founded and underpinned by a faith in a loving God. A God that loves each of us unconditionally!
This Christmas, I pray that every person reading this message and each of the members of their family and friends, might truly know the love and peace that comes from celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Isaiah 9:6
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
God Bless.
Glen McKeeman, Principal
From the Head of Campus
As we bring the 2022 academic year to a close today, on behalf of all of the staff at the Bellarine Campus, I wish to take this opportunity to sincerely thank all of our families for your support and partnership throughout this year. As shared in the Bellarine Junior and Middle Celebration evenings, and again with students today in our final assemblies, we are so proud of the way each young person has joyfully engaged in rich and purposeful learning, enabling them to accomplish amazing things. I commend each one of our Bellarine students for their endeavour this year, along with their positive contributions to our campus community.
Our Campus Christmas service today was a wonderful celebration of Jesus’ birth, bringing to the fore through story and song the opportunity each of us has to live a life in friendship and purpose with Christ. I wish to thank Willow Smith and Anabella Hicks for their readings throughout our service, the Bellarine Guitar Ensemble, Concert Band and Junior School Choir for their beautiful musical performances, thank you!
On behalf of the staff of the Bellarine Campus, we look forward to welcoming you on Tuesday the January 31 2023, to a remarkable year ahead, of life and learning together. Until then, I pray you have a wonderful break and a blessed Christmas.
Nicholas Watson, Head of Bellarine Campus
2022 Junior School Kickball Competition
The annual Junior School Kickball competition again brought a lot of fun and house spirit. Throughout the tournament it was fantastic to see the skill, teamwork, encouragement and endeavour on display. It was also pleasing to see the number of students who came to support their house. Flynn won the final to claim another championship. We look forward to the competition continuing again next year in 2023.
Sam Kennedy
Year 4 All Day Bike Ride
On Tuesday December 6 the Year 4 students and their homeroom teachers prepared to head to Queenscliff for the all-day bike ride as a culmination to the Bike Education program.
With the sun shining, students rode from school along the rail trail, all the way to Queenscliff. With plenty of stops along the way it was a wonderful way to enjoy the bush and ocean scenery. Students used the skills they had learned and practised during our Bike Education sessions to arrive safely at Princess Park in Queenscliff.
The day was finished off nicely with time to play with friends and a game of cricket in the park.
Students are to be congratulated for their efforts on the day and throughout the whole Bike Education program. I encourage all students to continue riding their bikes regularly to further develop their skills and road awareness.
A huge thank-you to all staff for taking time out of their busy schedules to support the Year 4s on the bike ride.
Caitlin Hoiles
Semester 2 Weekly Maths Challenge Number 20
Welcome to the twentieth edition, and final one for 2022 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 19 solution
There is a barrel with no lid and some wine in it. “This barrel of wine is more than half full,” says the woman. “No, it’s not,” says the man. “It’s less than half full.” Without any measuring implements and without removing any wine from the barrel, how can they easily determine who is correct?
Answer: Tilt the barrel until the wine barely touches the lip of the barrel. If the bottom of the barrel is visible, then it is less than half full. If the barrel bottom is still completely covered by the wine, then it is more than half full. Wishing you all the joy and happiness over the festive period and looking forward to sharing more fun maths with you in 2023. Remember no Googling allowed. Answer in the first edition of The Vine in 2023.
Challenge Number 20 question 
Pat Sculley
Bellarine House Challenge – Science Catapults
The spirit of friendly house competition was high as students accepted the Science challenge of designing, constructing and competing in a catapult accuracy competition. The Science challenge involved students working in house groups to construct a catapult which would launch an aluminium foil ball towards a target board. The sense of relaxed camaraderie amongst students was wonderful and our international guest entertainer (aka Mr V) was appreciated by all. A wonderful time full of fun and friendship.
Sophie Maye
Jorge Viegas
Year 5/6 Bike ride
On Monday the December 5, the Year 5 and 6 students came to school excited to be heading out to participate in our all-day bike ride.
We headed off in small groups along the rail trail towards Point Lonsdale via Queenscliff. All students rode between 20-30km throughout the day, appreciating the scenic views and spending time with their friends.
Although we didn’t have ideal weather conditions for bike riding, it was great to see students display resilience and persistence when riding into strong winds.
Students also enjoyed time playing and resting at our final destination at Gains Reserve. It was great to see the students applying the skills they had learnt during the term throughout the day. Students are encouraged to continue practising their riding and road safety skills in the future. A huge thank-you to all staff for their support on the day.
Caitlin Hoiles
An Assembly to Start the Final Day
Junior School students began their final day of 2022 with an assembly in which we were able to acknowledge Endeavour and Citizenship award recipients. The students were prompted to consider those who may not be celebrating Christmas as joyously as we do with Mr Maddock sharing his experience of travel to less fortunate parts of the world. To finish up the assembly, all students and staff sang Happy Birthday to Mr Jacobi who will be celebrating his 60th birthday on Boxing Day. Thank you to all the families and guests who have joined with us this year in our weekly Junior School assemblies.
We look forward to welcoming you back in the new year and hope you enjoy a safe and blessed Christmas and holiday period.
Jessica Chakir
Middle School – Final Assembly
Another reminder today of how far we have come during 2022, our Final Middle school assembly allowed us for the last time to come together to congratulate our Endeavour Award winners, as well as some CCG Dove Sport award winners. All capped off with an informal introduction of our 2023 Student Leaders, House Captains and Prefects.
Andrew Platt
Year 7 Japanese students get busy in the kitchen
As a reward for a great semester of study, the Year 7 Japanese students cooked Yakionigiri (grilled rice ball) in their last lesson of the year.
The actual cooking was comparatively simple. Hopefully, the students have learnt how to cook Yakionigiri as an authentic Japanese snack that can be made at home.
The ingredients are as follows:
- Medium or short grain white rice.
- Unsalted butter to grease the frypan.
- Gluten-free soy sauce.
Steps to cook:
- Steam rice.
- Put rice in cling wrap to mould it into a chunky triangular rice ball that can fit into the palm of your hand.
- Place rice ball into heated pan greased with butter.
- Grill until the sides are brown and crispy.
- Apply soy sauce with brush while rice ball is still in the frypan.
- Serve and enjoy.
Adam Reidy
Middle School House Volleyball Championships
Middle School students fought it out on the volleyball court at the end of the term with the aim to be crowned House Champions for 2022. Matches were played by Year 5/6 students, followed by Year 7/8 students where the scores were accumulated for final House results. After many draws and some extremely close matches during the rounds, it came down to a Penman v Burrows Grand Final. The Penman Year 5/6 team made a strong start against Burrows, giving their senior players a 5-point lead before the changeover. The Burrows Year 7/8 team stormed back, making the scores even and creating an exciting and tense atmosphere! It was a nail-biting finish with Penman winning by one point on the siren. Congratulations to all students who participated in the House Championships. The newly appointed House Captains for 2023, are to be congratulated on their wonderful efforts on organising and coaching their teams. Well done Penman!
Louise Bull
Year 7 Coastcare / Dunecare and Coastal Erosion Education
Monday 5 December saw Year 7 students and teachers travel to Point Lonsdale to kick off ‘Activity Week’. Students first arrived at the lighthouse where they learnt about the history of the area and the importance of the stretch of water between Point Lonsdale and Point Nepean, otherwise known as ‘The Rip’. The group then made their way to the playground where they had a quick morning tea. A further walk followed where the group met with Naomi and Matt from the Bellarine Catchment Network. Students were split into two groups with one enjoying a flora and fauna walk and talk whilst the other undertook a ‘weeding’ session, eradicating introduced species from the dunes, before then swapping over. It was fascinating to learn about the ‘bush tucker’ that exists throughout the dunes as well as the challenge of removing unwanted plant species. Following the education sessions, students continued their walking journey all the way through to Citizens Park in Queenscliff where they enjoyed some lunch, recreation, and a paddle pop! Thank you to Mrs Wright for arranging the day. Next time you are exploring this area yourself, pay attention to the incredible array of flora and fauna that exists within the dunes. You never know what you will find!
Aaron Loats
Transformation Open House
The Transformation students hosted a successful Open House, showcasing their Passion Projects and ideas for change. We had parents, grandparents and over 100 students visit the exhibition, it certainly was a great celebration of the ‘learning that matters.’
Megan from Drysdale Foodbank attended the Open House to receive a $420 donation that two students had raised. What a wonderful effort!
The Open House showcased many issues including animal welfare, childhood cancer, green washing, body image, sustainability, and foster care to name a few. The afternoon was a huge success, and it was wonderful seeing the students sharing their knowledge with the community. It was an amazing way for the Year 9s to end their time at Bellarine.
Rebecca Barry
Year 7 Immunisations
Has your child missed any school immunisations?
Catch up is free up to 19 years of age available through Barwon Health Immunisation service, see details below, or your GP.
Bookings via this link https://bit.ly/2Ie9F4E or via QR code
| Immunisation Centre | Immunisation Hours |
South Barwon Civic Centre 2 Colac Rd, Belmont, 3216 (enter off Reynolds Rd)- carpark in between Bowling lanes & Barwon Health .FOLLOW SIGNS | APPOINTMENT ONLY FOR ALL SESSIONS see below Wednesday and Friday mornings – 09.00am – 12.00pm
Wednesday and Friday afternoons – 1.30pm – 4.45pm
Saturday morning – 08.30am – 12.00pm
|
Korayn Birralee Family Centre 146-152 Purnell road, Corio, 3214. | APPOINTMENT ONLY FOR ALL SESSIONS see below Every Wednesday 9.45am – 11.45am
|
| Ocean Grove – Boorai Centre, 4-50 Shell road, Ocean Grove, 3226. | APPOINTMENT ONLY FOR ALL SESSIONS see below 2nd and 4th Friday of each month 9.30am -11.45am
|
Aaron Loats
Science Talent Search Success
The Science Talent Search (STS) is an annual, school-based science competition run by the Science Teachers Association of Victoria (STAV). The aim of the program is to stimulate on ongoing interest in the study of sciences while encouraging independent self-motivated project work. In 2022, seven keen CCG students from Years 5-10 submitted an entry in one of the categories of Working Model, Game or Creative Writing. It was wonderful to see the effort they put in, all in their own time.
We celebrate the work of all these students, and particularly congratulate Martin (Year 10), Sebastian (Year 7) and Jem (Year 5), whose entries earned them a minor bursary award which includes a sponsored cash prize, medallion, and certificate. Martin built a working model of an orrery, Sebastian entered Creative Writing with a piece titled ‘My glass is bioactive’ and Jem used lego to construct a working model of a vacuum engine.
Full results and samples of the winning entries are listed below:
Martin Dean, Year 10 – Minor bursary - Working model category
Jem Benson, Year 6 Highton – Minor bursary – Working model category
Sebastian De Marte, Year 7 Highton – Minor bursary - Creative writing category
Elodie Mahoney, Year 6 Highton – Merit certificate - Creative writing category
Hugh Whitaker, Year 5 Bellarine - Merit certificate – Games category
Abbie Curtis & Ava Aydon, Year 6 Bellarine – Acknowledgement certificate – Games category
Elissa Huddart, Director of Teaching and Learning – Science
The Santos Science Experience ‘ Where Science Meets Fun’
The Santos Science Experience is a fun 1 or 3 days of science activities for 2022 Year 9 and 10 students run by University and Tertiary Institutions.
There are a number of different programs at different venues including the following: 17th Jan 2023 18th April 2023 26th September 2023 20th Dec 2022 18th May 2023 22nd August 2023 Note: This is a program supported and promoted by Rotary International, hence students may wish to seek sponsorship from a local Rotary club. Details are on the Santos Science Experience website. Each program is designed to provide students who have an interest in science with an opportunity to engage in a wide range of fascinating science activities under the guidance of scientists who love their work. Participants perform experiments in laboratories, meet and hear senior lecturers in lecture theatres, attend site visits and walk around and experience what it is like to be on the campus of a university or tertiary institution You are invited to visit the website for more details and to enrol. https://www.scienceexperience.com.au/ University & Tertiary Institution Program dates Best Apply Before Cost Marine & Freshwater Discovery Centre $65 RMIT University 18-20th Jan 2023 10th Dec 2022 $190 University of Melbourne, Parkville 23-25th Jan 2023 19th Dec 2022 $190 
Broadcast From Camp Australia OSHC
This year students will finish their academic studies on Friday December 9. Camp Australia will continue to provide their program to students of CCG parent users until Thursday December 15, at the Junior School-Belmont gym, 39 Broughton Drive Belmont.
A MYTERN Thought for This Week
If you find yourself driving down a road with no others cars, don't panic.
Your journey is different. Try not to be tempted to turn back on to a freeway full of cars...especially if it doesn't feel right. Enjoy the solitude and take comfort in the fact that you are steering towards your own, unique destination 👍😊
Discover more about MYTERN here
