From the Dean of Christian Culture
Easter – The only good time to put all your eggs in one basket!
“Only eight sleeps to go Mia” my niece called to remind me, “Easter Sunday is coming!” What followed was a litany of questions regarding all the preparations for Easter next weekend; “Is it my turn to roll the stone away this year?” in regards to the wooden passion set that is currently sitting on the hallway table (think nativity set but displaying the Easter story). “Have you finished the tablecloth?”, the half-sewn rainbow cotton tablecloth is spread out on my floor with pins still in it waiting to be finished. “Will you make those biscuits again with the jam in the middle?” “Are you hiding the eggs this year? ‘cause I’ve been practising my seeking and I’m going to find them all no matter how hard you hide them”. I can hear in her voice that a sense of occasion is continuing to build, the Easter anticipation is real. And joyful. And delightful to be a part of.
In my family I am often accused of hiding Easter Eggs at the highest degree of difficulty. Where others might leave the colourfully wrapped treasures in very obvious places it is my goal to make an Easter Egg hunt a properly challenging task. Treasure maps are drawn for particularly hard to find pairs of ‘resurrection socks’ (a new pair of socks for the wearer to associate with “putting on and walking in the resurrection life” with each wearing) or particular chocolate treats. “Mia it’s too hard, I can’t find the eggs!” I’ve often heard this whine – my response “Keep looking, I promise they’re out there”.
The truth is, I make these family Easter Egg hunts challenging because I want my nieces to have a lived learning that we can have a conversation about. I want them to know that sometimes life feels too hard, sometimes I think I can’t find or feel or hear God and yet I believe God is there, available, findable and ready to be engaged with so in those moments I keep looking. I want them to relate their Easter Egg hunting to the story of the women and the disciples who went to the tomb and when they couldn’t find Jesus continued to look for Him. Faith requires active looking, seeking and participating, especially when at first glance outcomes are not easy to see. Our faith requires us to keep praying, keep forgiving, keep engaging, trusting, worshiping, praising, devoting and committing. Like an Easter Egg hunt and our hunting abilities our faith grows, matures and deepens the more we do it. Don’t give up and leave the treasures of your faith, your relationship with God unfound, untended, unclaimed and unused when things are hard, obscured from view or not as obvious as they once were – press on, look again, look afresh, search somewhere new and unknown, continue to engage with God.
Easter Egg hunts are proof that children can find things when they really want to, the same is true of us. As we approach Easter week next week and indeed Easter Sunday on the March 31, let us remember some significant Easter truths;
- Jesus Christ lived and died that we might have life and life to the full. John 10:10
- The resurrection of Jesus gives our lives meaning and direction, the opportunity to start over no matter what our circumstances or how often we need to start over.
- God hasn’t written the promise of new life, of resurrection, in the Bible alone but in every leaf, blade of grass, spring season and living component of creation.
- Easter is a time when God turned the inevitability of pain and death into the invincibility of hope and life.
- Easter teaches us that in relationship with Jesus, life never ends and love never dies.
I pray all the wonderous Easter anticipation for you and your family as we enter the final week of Lent and the celebration of the fullness of Easter next weekend.
Excitement in Literacy Lessons – Reading and Word Progression
As part of a structured literacy program children develop their reading skills in a systematic and sequenced way, directly linked to the letter-sounds they have learnt.
Initially children work on blending these sounds to make CVC words, Consonant Vowel Consonant words. Then we continue to build the range of letter-sounds and words that can be read. As children become confident at the word level they progress to sentence level. This is when we add in rereading for fluency and comprehension.
Further still, children move from simple words to multi syllable words. They progress from the most dominant sound to complex vowel sounds and less common sound patterns. We also build their knowledge of word parts, looking at the morphology and etymology of words.
While we are doing this at school we begin sending books home with your child. Our decodable readers are organised into sets based on the sounds we teach in class. These are not levels, as you may have seen in a ‘balanced literacy’ approach. They are groups of texts that contain similar combinations of sounds. The texts that come home initially match the sounds that are being taught in class. Then as your child progresses so do the texts. Children move through the decodable texts as they move through their sound development and word understanding. Also building fluency and comprehension as we go.
Research tells us that once children have a strong grasp of the letter-sound relationships they are able to move beyond decodable texts. At Christian College, once children are confidently decoding you will see them bringing home a range of texts from chapter books to non-fiction texts, practically anything! When children are at this stage it is an opportunity for them to follow their interests and read more of their favourite authors, delve into poetry, have a go at role-plays, explore magazines, read books from the library.
In this way they are becoming adaptable readers, building their vocabulary, increasing their knowledge of the world and understanding of how messages are conveyed.
Through this too children develop what may be known as ‘sight words’, ‘common words’, ‘high frequency words’ or ‘weird words’. Traditionally children may have received a list of words or coloured cards to memorise. Research has shown us that while visual memory can work for some children it is not the most successful or direct route of learning for all.
Instead, children are taught the sound patterns in groups of these words at a time. For example, then, that, this, them all have the voiced ‘th’ at the start, be, me, we, she, he are all open syllables which is why they have the long ‘e’ sound. At school we teach the children these things and they revise them through our daily reviews as part of our PhOrMeS lessons, Phonology, Orthogrophy, Morphology, Etymology, Semantics and vocabulary. As children then come across these words in their reading it increasingly becomes automatic and that is when they are truly ‘sight words’. Words that have been broken down into their parts, learnt and stored in long term memory, now recognised by sight.
As families what does all this mean at home? This means that you get the joy of supporting your child to first learn the code to be able to read decodable books and then you get to open the door to the all the possibilities of texts out there. Find their interest and foster that through literature, head to the library and borrow a range of texts. Particularly once children move off decodable texts. It is no longer about learning how to read, but rather expanding their reading and understanding of the world around them.
When you receive the weekly dojo post it will list the spelling pattern or rule focus for the week. Encourage your child to create a list of those words. Spot them in their books, do a Google search of others with that pattern. Talk about interesting words they find in texts and unpack the meaning of words together. Building up their understanding and knowledge of specific letter patterns will assist with their recognition of high frequency words and enable these to become mapped and stored.
As always, please come and see what we do as a classroom helper or feel free to email me to chat further.
Easter Service – Bring a Flower or Plant Sprig
As part of our student Easter Service in Week 9, each student is encouraged to bring a single stem of a flower or plant branch to school on Thursday March 28. This could be a flower stem from your garden, a small sprig of herbs or a twig of leaves from your favourite tree in your garden.
We hope to create 13 individual posies with the flowers and plants gathered, one for each class, with these posies being used as part of our Easter Service for students.
Thank you for your participation in this – we hope to offer many tangible opportunities for students to engage with this time of Easter and these flowers and branches represent each student and the life we celebrate during this season.
Winnie the Dog – Hello!
My golly, I am so excited to be back at Junior School this year and a tad tired after so many pats – thanks for all of the smiles and waves and hellos, you are all so kind to me! For those of you who I have not met yet, my name is Winnie and I come to Junior School throughout the week as part of our wellbeing team.
I have grown up since you saw me last year and had a haircut, you should have seen my face when I saw myself in the mirror…! I had my first birthday in November, I even got to have a yummy breakfast with cheese and wear a party hat, it was so fun! But that means I haven’t even grown up to be a full adult dog yet and I am still working really hard on all of the things I am learning. I understand a lot more now and my mum says I am a very “good girl”, but I still need your help to remind me of what I need to do when I come to school.
If you see me, you can always wave to say hello or give me a thumbs up. If I come over to you, I love a pat on my back, that’s my favourite spot! Because I only live with 2 people at my home, coming to school with 300 of my friends sometimes means I need my own space, so if I am sniffing around or keeping some distance between us, that’s just my way of saying that I need a bit of time to myself.
If you have any more questions about me, you can always just ask Mrs Braun, she is by my side all the time. Thank you so much for helping me here at school, I am thankful to have so many great friends.
Winnie, Wellbeing Dog
Harmony Day
Harmony Week started on Monday May 18, and is a week that is very special in our country. Harmony week is all about celebrating all the different people who live in this beautiful country. This Thursday we all wore a splash of orange to celebrate this event.
Australia is one of the world’s most successful multicultural countries and our cultural diversity is at the heart of who we are. Over half of Australians were born overseas or have at least one parent who was born overseas.
That’s why it’s so important that we celebrate our country’s diversity through Harmony Week. Harmony Week is also about inclusiveness, respect and belonging for all Australians, from the Traditional Owners of the land to our most recent arrivals. And celebrating that no matter where you come from, we’re united by the Australian values of freedom, respect, fairness, and equal opportunity.
Harmony Week’s theme for this year is ‘belonging’ and here at Christian College, we want everyone to know that they belong, they are cared for and they are known and valued for who they are.
During Harmony Week, the students at Junior School participated in discussions around inclusiveness and cultural diversity during classroom devotions and completed the passage, ‘Everyone belongs at our school because…’
Some of the beautiful responses from our students include.
“Everyone belongs at our school because we are all important and we should all be treated equally.”
“Everyone belongs at our school because we are all kind, caring and we take care of each other. We are never mean, and we always learn from our mistakes and fix them.”
“Everyone belongs at our school because we are all loved and should be respected.”
“Everyone belongs at our school because we are loved by our friends, teachers and especially God and Jesus.”
Annual Easter Bonnet Parade
On the final day of Term 1, Thursday March 28, Junior School will become a ‘colourful spectacular’ at the Annual Easter Bonnet Parade. Students are encouraged to begin making and designing Easter Bonnets to wear on the day. Families are welcome to come along and join in the fun which will begin at 9:00am at the Junior School front roundabout.
*Reminder that the school day concludes at 2:30pm on Thursday March 28.
Save the Date: ‘Marvelous Maths in May!’
We are very excited to announce that we will be having a Marvelous Maths Evening in May!
Families are invited to join us on Thursday May 2, 3:30pm – 4:30pm to participate in a range of fun games, puzzles and activities all based on mathematical concepts.
There will be opportunities to engage in some hands-on mathematics together with your child/children in various rooms throughout the Junior School Campus.
Click the link below to tell us that you’re coming along, or alternatively scan the code on the flyer below. https://www.trybooking.com/CQHYS
We look forward to celebrating the world of mathematics with our families!
What’s on at Junior School
Week 9
Monday March 25 – Preps Fire Rescue Victoria Visit 2, 9:15am
Tuesday March 26 – Year 4 Attend Middle School Athletics Carnival (Refer to EdSmart)
Tuesday March 26 – Year 1, Old World Day (Refer to EdSmart)
Wednesday March 27 – Preps at Discovery Learning, 1pm (Refer to EdSmart)
Thursday March 28 – Easter Bonnet Parade, 9am, front roundabout (Refer to EdSmart)
Thursday March 28 – Easter Service, 11:30am
Thursday March 28 – Conclusion of Term 1; 2:30pm
Term 2; Week 1
Tuesday April 16 – Term 2 Commences
Week 2
Tuesday April 23 – Year 2 Camp
Wednesday April 24 – Year 2 Camp
Wednesday April 24 – ANZAC Service, 9am, front roundabout. All Welcome!
Thursday April 25 – ANZAC DAY Public Holiday
Beautiful Beach Day!
We finally had our opportunity to jump on the bus and head to the beach for our Discovery Learning session.
There was a buzz of excitement as we got off the bus to eat our lunch amongst the trees. With full tummies, we were able to head down to the sand and water.
The children had such a fabulous time exploring nature, being creative, showing great imagination and collaboration.
Wet, sandy but full of joy and happiness we jumped back on the bus to head home. We cannot wait for our next session!
I loved building sand castles with Levi and Minura. – Oliver
I loved playing in the water! – Olivia
I really like playing in the sand. – Anthony
I liked making sandcastles. – Levi
I loved making sandcastles like an octopus. – Eleanora
It was fun going in the water. – Harper
It was great making sandcastles and a whale! – Jack
Year 4 Poetry – ‘I Am Australian’
In Year 4, we have been reading the free verse poetry book ‘Bindi’ which is written from the point of view of 11-year-old, Bindi and her friends on Gundungurra Country. We learn that she’s not really into maths but LOVES art class and playing hockey. Her absolute FAVOURITE thing is adventuring outside with friends or her horse, Nell. A new year starts like normal—school, family, hockey, dancing. But this year hasn’t gone to plan! There’s a big art assignment, a drought, a broken wrist AND the biggest bushfires her town has ever seen! Written ‘for those who plant trees’, Bindi explores climate, bushfires, and healing.
Poetry can form the basis for songs and stories, and most of us know the ubiquitous anthem ‘I Am Australian’. It references Dorothea MacKellar’s famous poem ‘My Country’, using the lines ‘drought and flooding rains’:
I’m the hot wind from the desert
I’m the black soil of the plains
I’m the mountains and the valleys
I’m the drought and flooding rains
I am the rock, I am the sky
The rivers when they run
The spirit of this great land
I am Australian
Our Year 4 students have explored their own style of poetry by emanating Australian themes with the ‘I am’ as a sentence starter. In the novel, Bindi faces the confronting experience of bushfire evacuation and realises that there are some things that are more important than others when deciding about what we would want to keep close in an emergency. The Year 4 students identified the things close to their heart, they looked at their own identity and used them as a stimulus for poetry writing. Ideas soon began to flow once the students were given the opportunity to put their own spin on the format with everything from footy, nature, electronics, music and of course, Taylor Swift! Using whiteboards, the students wrote ideas and moved on to drafting and publishing their work. A ‘poetry walk’ gave opportunities for peer feedback and editing.
In this week of Harmony, we congratulate our Year 4 students on their fabulous poetry writing efforts, especially in ways where they have identified that the things that are different amongst us are what really makes us all the same.
From Little Things Big Things Grow
Junior School, Belmont is a special place. We have the blessing of Sirovilla Retirement Village located across the road from our Campus. This week marked the beginning of something little that we look forward to growing and developing over the course of the year.
Year 4G visited Sirovilla to share some of the great learning we’ve been doing in Literacy and Music & Performing Arts. We shared in the singing of Paul Kelly’s hit song, From Little Things Big Things Grow and When I Grow Up from the musical Matilda. We played an improv drama game with the residents to many laughs and then enjoyed a viola solo from Ali.
Following this, the students paired up and read some of their own poetry and library books with the residents. The conversations evolved into hearing about the wonderful history of the older generation and making connections through similar interests. One student commented: ‘My person was a Swiftie!”
We have so much to learn from each other and the genuine smiles on the faces of the residents of Sirovilla and students of 4G said it all. This small step in continuing to grow the connection between Junior School and Sirovilla was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the great community that we are a part of. Each term a Year 4 class will visit the residents of Sirovilla and we look forward to welcoming the Sirovilla community to our ANZAC service and lunchtime music performance concerts.
Some thoughts from our students include:
I enjoyed talking to the residents and sharing our activities. We talked about where he grew up and all about what we do at school. It was really fun. I liked that. – Sam
I loved talking to Jason and reading for the residents. I liked it because I went out of my comfort zone and enjoyed it. – Tara
I liked meeting all the residents and listening to their life accomplishments, where they grew up and all about their life. – Charlie
Embracing Diversity and Celebrating Harmony Day
What a privilege to hear the many ways our children see inclusion. The meaningful discussions about how we welcome people and how this transcends into our wider community is beautiful.
For that reason, celebrating Harmony Day in our school community is vital. It emphasises the importance of embracing diversity and fostering inclusivity. This year, we integrated art practices into this monumental day, where students drew flags from around the world and placed silhouettes of individuals on them, a simple symbol of unity among cultural differences.
Through discussions, children learned the significance of making others feel welcome, promoting empathy and kindness. By celebrating our differences and promoting acceptance, we create an environment where every individual feels valued, fostering a sense of belonging for all. In embracing diversity, we sow the seeds for a more harmonious future where tolerance and compassion prevail.
Garden Club Green Thumbs!
The Garden Club has been full of lots of green thumbs this term and it has been wonderful to have lots of students helping with all sorts of jobs and ‘fun stuff’!
A special mention to Mille Edwards who has been appointed our Garden Club leader for 2024 and has been instrumental in getting out veggie garden established for 2024. Thank you Millie! We have already watered and mulched garden beds, dug up potatoes, propagated some plants, pruned rose hips and planted lettuce and spinach seedlings and used liquid fertilizer to keep everything growing through this hot part of the year. We have also found worms and ladybirds in the plants and soil. The students have been intrigued by bugs in our garden and are keen to make some ‘hotels’ for them as well as starting our own compost bins. The Year 4 students are beginning to re-design some of our garden beds and have many wonderful ideas to engage with sensory plants and connect to the indigenous species of our area on Wadawurrung country. We are now excited to start growing some more plants so that we can hold a produce stall to connect with our school community!
We hope to have a stall outside at the roundabout during the term where parents and friends can purchase items and the proceeds will return to the Garden Club to continue the process of growing and harvesting. This may come in the form of vegetables, herbs, fruit and flowers. Please keep an eye on the school Class Dojo page so that you know when our stall will be up and running.
CCG Digital Wellbeing and Cyber Safety Parent Forum
On Wednesday evening, parents and carers of students from Prep to Year 12 came together for our parent forum to discuss digital wellbeing and cyber safety. It was wonderful to create a space and invest time into sharing and exploring the opportunities and challenges presented by our young people's interactions online and with technology.
One of the most engaging aspects of the evening was when parents and carers shared their experiences and challenges, connecting with fellow parents in small groups. Feedback from parents who attended was that they valued this format, providing an opportunity to chat and compare perspectives and strategies with fellow parents.
For those who couldn’t attend, we offer the following resources:
- Community – 2024 Digital Wellbeing and Cybersafety Parent Forum
- Parent Digital Wellbeing Resources QR Handout
As a College, we are dedicated to partnering with parents and carers to foster positive interactions with technology and to promote wellbeing among our young people, and we look forward to our continuing journey together.
Qustodio Parent App
As part of the College’s commitment to supporting students and families with positive digital interactions in the home, we provide access to the Qustodio Parent App for all College parents and carers.
Relationship, clearly established boundaries, and adult modelling of healthy interactions with digital technologies form the best foundation for supporting young people’s own positive digital interactions. eSafety identifies parental controls as an important tool for parents in support of home digital wellbeing and provides an excellent parent guide to parental controls.
Parental controls tools, such as the Qustodio Parent App, can help to enforce agreed rules, provide safety barriers, and better empower parents and carers by providing visibility over their children’s digital activity. Parents are encouraged to consider how the Qustodio Parent App can support them and their young people at home.
Video Link: A Parent's Initial Introduction to Qustodio
Interested parents who have not already registered their Qustodio parent account can learn more about how to get started below. This includes video guides on registering your parent account as part of our school program and getting started.
Qustodio is a valuable tool for parents which can be used in a range of ways depending on your child’s individual age, needs and context. I encourage parents and carers to consider and explore how Qustodio can support you and your young people with positive digital interactions and wellbeing at home.
Doing the Right Thing on our Buses
I have noticed a decline in the overall behaviour of some students on our bus network, which is something we take very seriously. We have seen some significant damage to bus seats (cuts / slashes) and an increase in graffiti on seats and other surfaces of the bus. Please note, this behaviour will not be tolerated, and appropriate disciplinary action will follow, including the reimbursement of costs associated with repairing damage, if applicable.
We ask all parents to please remind your children that damaging the buses disadvantages everyone who uses them, and to encourage those who witness this sort of behaviour to either email schoolbustravel@ccg.vic.edu.au or talk to their home room teacher. We will ensure that their identity remains anonymous.
Most importantly, appropriate behaviour on our buses is vital for the safety of all passengers and drivers.
Please click on this link to a YouTube video as a reminder of how to travel safely on our bus network:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FN5SfNHr37s
I would like us all to work together to ensure that we are operating the safest possible bus service every day and thank you in anticipation for your assistance in achieving this.
Cinderella – Be Quick - Tickets are Disappearing Fast!
There are still tickets available for our major College production this year, but they are going fast, so to ensure you don't miss out - book now! Join us as we present three very special performances of this delightful story featuring students from Years 6 – 12 with exceptional talent throughout the cast, and an orchestra brimming with outstanding student musicians, all backed up by a wonderful community of staff, students and families backstage.
Performances are at Geelong Arts Centre Play House Theatre on May 3 and 4.
To purchase tickets, visit our website and click on the hotlink on our homepage, or go straight to ticket sales by clicking here.
Camps, Sports and Excursion Fund
Financial Assistance for Eligible Parents
School camps provide children with inspiring experiences in the great outdoors, excursions encourage a deeper understanding of how the world works and sports teach teamwork, discipline and leadership. All are part of a healthy curriculum.
Every Victorian child should have access to the world of learning opportunities that exist beyond the classroom. The Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF) helps ensure that no student will miss out on the opportunity to join their classmates for important, educational and fun activities. Support from CSEF is provided by the Victorian Government to assist eligible families to cover the costs of school trips, camps and sporting activities and forms part of the State Government’s commitment to breaking the link between a student’s background and their outcomes.
If you hold a valid means-tested concession card (HCC) or are a temporary foster parent, you may be eligible for CSEF. A special consideration category also exists for asylum seeker and refugee families. The allowance is paid to the school to use towards expenses relating to camps, excursions or sporting activities for the benefit of your child.
The annual CSEF amount per student is: • $150 for primary school students • $250 for secondary school students
How to Apply
Application Forms are available online through the Parent Portal (Go to ‘Student Information’ > ‘Important Forms for Parents’) these forms can be downloaded, completed then uploaded according to the instructions. Hard copy forms are also available from reception at each campus or by emailing enquire@ccg.vic.edu.au
More Information
For the CSEF application closing dates and more information about the fund please visit this webpage
Class of 2014 10 Year Reunion
The Class of 2014 10 Year Reunion is set for Saturday, April 13, 2024. Join us at Blackman's Brewery Geelong from 5:30pm-8:00pm. Tickets are $15 each and RSVPs close on Thursday, 28th March 2024 at 5:00pm.
This will be a great opportunity for you to reconnect with your peers, catch up with past teachers, and reminisce about your school days.
Tours of the College Clocktower at Middle School - Highton will also be optional on the day of the reunion, if you would like to climb the Clocktower and find your brick, simply book in when you register.
For those who would like to have a tour of the College grounds, please head to our website to arrange a tour.
We look forward to catching up with the Class of 2014. If this is your year group, spread the word and register for your 10 Year Reunion today!
https://ccgfoundation.org.au/2014
Foundation Gathering Hope Appeal Luncheon
The Foundation Gathering Hope Appeal Luncheon is back on and has been scheduled for Friday, 24 May 2024.
You are invited to join us for lunch at the stunning Provenance Wines in Fyansford.
This is a fundraising event for the Foundation and an opportunity to hear about the success and progress of the College.
Our guest speaker is Jossy Chacko, Founder and President of Empart, a global ministry that exists to ignite holistic community transformation among needy communities.
Giving leadership to a team of over 13,000 people and offices in nine countries, Jossy travels around the world inspiring and challenging leaders to capture a larger God-size vision and not to waste gifts and opportunities. He is also the author of Madness! and Dare to Partner.
Don't miss out on this incredible opportunity to come together.
Secure your seat and book online today!
https://ccgfoundation.org.au/gh
Golf Tournament
Join the Christian College Foundation for an exciting four-person Ambrose Golf Day, including a $30,000 hole in one prize on Thursday, 24th of October at 13th Beach Golf Links, Barwon Heads.
Set on the stunning Bellarine Peninsula, the day provides an opportunity to enjoy the award-winning creek course, known for its undulating couch fairways, deep bunkers and interesting swales and hollows.
You will be treated to a scrumptious breakfast on arrival and an opportunity to participate in several fun activities including the longest drive, nearest to the pin etc.
There is plenty of prizes up for grabs, including a cash prize of $30,000. Score a Hole in One on the 12th Hole and you can win. *
You will also be treated to a delicious buffet lunch and learn more about the incredible work of the foundation. Every dollar raised will be dollar matched!
Event: Christian College Foundation Golf Day
Date: Thursday, 24th of October 2024
Dress: Casual
Cost: $195
Format: Ambrose – team of 4 players
Location: 13th Beach Golf Links, 1732 Barwon Heads Road, Barwon Heads
You can individually register or register up to a team of 4 players
This event is proudly sponsored by AECS.
Event Information:
For Players, registration commences at 7:00 am.
Breakfast provided; coffee & tea available.
Ambrose Golf (shotgun start): 8:00am – 12.30pm.
Lunch and formalities: 1:00pm – 3:00pm – auction items available to bid!
*Terms and conditions apply
CLICK HERE to register















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