From the Acting Principal
This week, returning from the holiday break, I’ve been reminded of the incredible privilege I have to work at a school that has five campuses across our region and approximately 2000 students from Prep all the way to Year 12. I had the pleasure of being accompanied by our College captains, Brianna Bolger and Jett Milburn, as I visited each of the campuses for their Term 2 commencement assemblies. It was wonderful to observe Brianna and Jett receiving such warm and enthusiastic welcomes from students of all ages and, likewise, for the two captains to engage so effortlessly in meaningful, positive interactions with their audiences.
One of the highlights was a visit to a Junior School Prep classroom, where Brianna and Jett got down on the floor with the students to learn how to draw polar bears. It was a special moment, one that had Brianna and Jett, knowing what they know about life, adolescence and growing up, reflecting afterward how important it is to preserve childhood innocence.
In a world that often seems so chaotic and fast-paced, even for our two school captains, moments like these serve as gentle reminders of the importance of nurturing and protecting our young people, allowing them to explore, create, and imagine without the weight of the world's troubles on their shoulders.
Today’s younger generation are increasingly exposed to the perils of social media and digital technology. While these platforms offer many benefits, they also present significant risks to the innocence and wellbeing of our young people. The pressure to fit in, the constant comparison to others, and the prevalence of cyberbullying can all take a toll on their mental health and ability to flourish.
As adults, it's our responsibility to guide and support our children in navigating these challenges. We must teach them to use technology wisely, to recognise the difference between reality and the carefully curated content they see online, and to seek help when they need it.
Proverbs 22:6 says: "Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old, they will not turn from it." May we, as a community, continue to uphold and protect the innocence of our young people, guiding them on a path toward fulfilment and accomplishment.
I commend Brianna and Jett for their genuine care and concern for students of all ages at Christian College, from little preppies all the way up to their Year 12 peers. As I said at the start, it’s an absolute privilege to be part of this community, especially knowing we have such caring and compassionate students in our midst.
Rick Geall, Acting Principal
Unearth Your Treasure Within!
Open Day and Prep Discovery Days
For those considering a Christian College education for their children, regardless of year level, we believe the best way to get a true 'look and feel' of our College is to come and see us in action. That’s why we offer open days where interested parents and guardians have the opportunity to tour our campuses, see real classes in real time, meet students, teachers and campus leaders and have their specific questions answered.
Our second Open Day for 2024 at all five campuses, plus Butterfield House Kindergarten, is on May 7. Opening times have been planned so there is an opportunity to visit more than one campus on the same day. Bellarine Campus will open its doors from 9:30 to 11:00am; Middle School-Highton from 10:30am to 12 noon; Senior School-Waurn Ponds from 11:30am to 1pm; Junior School-Belmont from 9:15 to 10:45am and Surf Coast Campus and Butterfield House from 11:30am to 1pm. Evening sessions are offered at two campuses on the day – Junior School (at 5:00, 5:15 and 5:30pm) and Surf Coast Campus (at 4:30, 4:45 and 5:00pm).
Then on May 8 and 9, we are again offering a Prep Discovery experience at our Bellarine, Belmont and Surf Coast Campuses. These days are for those parents and guardians interested in enrolling in Prep. There is an opportunity for them, and their children, to actually join a Prep class for an immersive experience – and find out more about our amazing Prep program at three campuses. For those interested in attending one of these free sessions, we ask for a booking so we can properly accommodate everyone who wants to attend. More details on both Open Day and Prep Discovery sessions, including a link to book a Prep Discovery place, can be found on our website.
We would ask all current Christian College families who have friends, other family members or colleagues who are making choices about the right school for their child(ren), to spread the word and encourage them to visit one or more of our campuses on May 7, and/or be part of our Prep Discovery program on May 8/9.
From the Head of Campus
On behalf of the Junior School staff, I would like to welcome you, or welcome you back to Term 2 at Junior School Belmont. We have been blessed this week to welcome new families to Junior School and are excited for them to become part of our wonderful community.
We were also excited this week to meet our College Captains Brianna Bolger and Jett Milburn, from our Senior School, at our commencement service on Tuesday. Brianna and Jett shared a message with students and staff about leadership being seen in acts of kindness and service. Junior School students were then able to discuss this message in their homerooms following the service.
As we begin Term 2, we have already had the experience of the Autumn rains followed by the experience of rainbows which have always drawn my attention for a couple of reasons. One is that the science behind a rainbow is fascinating where sunlight passes through raindrops in the sky, the drops act like tiny prisms and when white light enters one side of the prism, it bends or refracts which causes the different wavelengths of light to separate into colours. The second reason, which for me is the most captivating, is the Bible’s explanation that rainbows are a promise to us from God.
‘And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.”(Genesis 9:12-16, NIV)
Rainbows are a promise of God’s faithfulness: just as the rainbow endures, so does God’s love and promises, God’s grace and mercy: After the storm, the rainbow reminds us of God’s enduring gifts, and the hope we have in God that even in difficult times, the rainbow points to a brighter future.
So, as we move through this next term together at Junior School be encouraged by God’s covenant, His love, and His promise of protection for you whenever you see a rainbow.
Ann-Marree Weigl, Head of Campus
What’s on at Junior School
This an up to date list of planned activities at Junior Campus that you can use for planning purposes. Please be aware that these dates are set early in the term and occasionally items may need to be cancelled or dates/times altered. This itinerary is altered each week to reflect any changes – please check this list of events EVERY WEEK carefully when you read the weekly VINE newsletter.
Week 2
Monday April 22 – Year 1 Biological Science Incursion,
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
Week 3
Tuesday April 30 – Lunchtime Concert, 1:10pm
Wednesday May 1 – Prep Discovery Learning, 1:00pm
Thursday May 2 – Marvellous Maths in May, 3.30-4.30pm
Friday May 3 – Prep 50 Days of School Celebrations
Week 4
Monday May 6 – Year 4 ‘Our Local Community’ Excursion
Tuesday May 7 – Open Day, 9:15am – 10:45am
Tuesday May 7 – Open Evening, 5:00pm – 6:00pm
Wednesday May 8 – Discover Prep Session, 9:30am – 10:30am
Thursday May 9 – Discover Prep Session, 9:30am – 10:30am
Friday May 10 – Assembly, 3G Class Item, 9:00am
Friday May 10 – Mothers’ Day Stall (details to come!)
Friday May 10 – Mothers’ Day Celebration Afternoon, 1:15pm – 3:25pm (details to come!)
We’re Opening the Doors for Open Day and Discover Prep Week
We are excited to welcome visitors into Junior School for a second Open Day session and Discover Prep Week sessions, on May 7, 8 and 9. While Open Morning provides an opportunity for visitors to wander at their own pace, enjoy a student led tour, listen to wonderful music performances and meet and greet staff, the unique Discover Prep sessions invite visitors to ‘become’ a Prep student, participating in activities and experiencing first hand, learning in the classroom.
Click on the link below to make a booking. We are looking forward to celebrating all the wonderful things that make Junior School so special!
Click Here for Junior School Open Day II and Discover Prep Week Bookings
Carla Dunlop, Deputy Head of Campus
The Crucial Role of Mathematics in our Everyday Lives
As parents, we often wonder how to instil a love for mathematics in our children. The truth is mathematics isn’t just a subject taught in schools, it’s an essential life skill that permeates every aspect of our daily experiences. There are a number of ways that we as adults use mathematics every day. We use mathematics in money management, when watching or participating in sports and games, to use transport and plan travel and family trips, looking at the weather, cooking in the kitchen and many more activities.
There are so many ways that we can help our children at school and at home to develop not only the skills, understanding and knowledge around mathematics, but to enjoy it and have fun.
Playing board games such as Monopoly and chess involves strategy as well as counting skills. Puzzles and brainteasers such as Sudoku, crosswords and logic puzzles help to enhance problem-solving skills. Maths Apps and challenges such as NumBots and Timetable Rockstars assist with number fluency and speed.
When out and about day-to-day, pointing out the mathematics around your child helps them to pay attention and notice details. While cooking, discuss measurement and fractions, while out walking look for patterns, symmetry and shapes.
Our first Family Maths Night on Thursday May 2, 3.30-4.30pm is a way that we too are wanting to bring people together to have fun with maths. This will be a time for families and children to spend time playing, exploring and enjoying some mathematical fun together. You will have an opportunity to wander around the school and head into different rooms to participate in activities, games and explorations of mathematics in a variety of ways.
Please register using the link below or the code provided on the attached promo poster to assist us with our planning. https://www.trybooking.com/CQHYS
We look forward to having some maths fun with you all!
Julie Shutie, Prep – 4 Learning Leader
Clubs, Clubs and More Clubs!
With a range of clubs running during lunchtimes at Junior School, there is always something for students to do! Clubs are a great way to build friendships across year levels, to work with different teachers and to develop interests. We encourage all students to get involved in our Clubs Program throughout Term 2.
Carla Dunlop, Deputy Head of Campus
A Welcome from Winnie
Junior School,
You will never guess what arrived for me on my first day back to school – my very own Christian College winter sweater. It is the loveliest maroon colour, with a button to help it over my head and can you believe, it even has the school emblem on my back, so everyone knows where I work. I just love it! Thank you so very much to Sue Porter, grandmother of Year 4 student Charlotte Porter for hand-knitting this for me, I am going to be warm and stylish all winter.
I thought you may like to see some photos of me in my new outfit while I was out and about this week visiting everyone. I am so glad to be back for Term 2 and to see all my friends again!
Love from Winnie the Dog.
Year 1 – Holiday Snapshots
As part of our writing program this semester, the children have been learning about different text types such as recounts, descriptions, writing lists and labelling pictures. This week, as the Year 1 students have returned to school after the Easter break, they were provided with the opportunity to share a snapshot of each of their holidays. To begin with, the children were encouraged to draw a picture illustrating one of their favourite parts of their holiday. They were then set the task of recording their information using their thoughtful illustrations as a guide.
Here are some of the sentences from the written pieces that were produced by the children:
During the holidays we fed the ducks, and they loved it. We had a sandwich with the ducks, and it was so peaceful there. When we walked, the trees made a calming noise. Penelope
During the holidays I went to Lorne with my neighbour friend, Shrey, to eat in a lovely restaurant. Aarush
During the holidays I went to a superhero show and I saw lots of superheroes in a big stadium. I saw my favourite superhero, Hulk, and he is my favourite because he can smash anything like a car or a building. Maddie
At the holidays, I travelled to Sydney, and I went into the Sydney Opera House. I bought a cockatoo toy from the museum, and I think it was nineteen dollars. Jason
When I visited Japan, the cherry blossoms were like snow. My dad said that it was like a cherry blossom storm. Elle
During the holidays I went to the airport, and I went to Cairns in an aeroplane, and I stayed at a holiday house. The next day I sailed on a boat to Green Island. Piper
During the holidays I went to Paradise Valley with my friends where we could catch tree frogs. We caught 28 frogs and there are also lizards there five times the size of my hands. Leo
In the holidays I went to Adelaide. I went swimming with Sisi and Ruby and we had lots of fun. There was a water fountain and my sister, Sisi, had a go on the water fountain. Even my little sister had a go, but the water was cold there, so Sisi had to take Ruby back to the warm pool. Florence
We are looking forward to continuing to investigate different types of writing throughout the term as the children encourage and support each other with their writing endeavours.
Violet Novacevski
Starting the new Term With Passion!
As the doors of our classroom swung open to welcome the eager faces of Year 4 students, I couldn’t help but feel a surge of excitement coursing through the air. It’s the start of a new term, and the energy in the room is palpable. These young minds are brimming with anticipation, ready to embark on a journey of discovery that will shape their understanding of the world around them.
A couple of key learning areas for this term? Ancient China and the inner workings of our local government. Two seemingly disparate topics, yet both hold a wealth of knowledge and lessons waiting to be uncovered.
The enthusiasm among the students is infectious as we delve into the depths of Ancient China. But it’s not just about memorising dates and names. Through collaborative activities and hands-on projects, the students are breathing life into ancient customs and traditions. They eagerly recreate ancient artifacts, engage in role-plays of ancient rituals, and even embark on virtual tours of the Great Wall, all the while immersing themselves in the rich tapestry of Chinese culture.
Yet, our exploration doesn’t end there. With the same passion they applied to ancient history, the students eagerly turn their attention to the workings of our local government. From the mayor to city council members, they’re unravelling the intricacies of democracy right in their own backyard.
Through interactive lessons and engaging discussions, they’re learning about the roles and responsibilities of different branches of government, the importance of civic engagement, and the power of community involvement. As they draft their own proposals for local improvement, they’re discovering firsthand the impact they can have on shaping their community for the better.
As we embrace this new term with open arms, I have no doubt that the lessons learned and experiences shared will not only broaden their horizons but also empower them to become informed, engaged citizens ready to make a positive difference in the world around them.
Jessie Stap
What’s Happening in Japanese?
In Term 2, we have a great focus on learning and applying numbers in Japanese. The Year 3 students will be reviewing their knowledge of numbers by learning how to memorise and give a pretend phone number in Japanese in a speech to the class. They will also be improving their skills in worded mathematics problems with Japanese numbers and words that they already know.
For example, “Hanako went the fruit shop and bought 三 ringo と 四 orenji と 六 banana. How many fruits did she buy all together?” (十三)
The Prep and Year 1 students will be practising how to write the Japanese numbers and then use them with some concrete materials such as blocks, counters, even plastic sushi! The aim is to increase the children’s fluency and familiarisation with numbers and encourage them to manipulate and play with the numbers in lots of different ways. They will be using a tens chart like they do in their homerooms to help them do Japanese addition sums. We will learn a Japanese number song which I am sure many of the children will sing for you over and over again. Songs are critical tools in remembering unfamiliar words, especially ones that need to be known in a specific order. Songs act as anchor points for the children to remember a word and they will often sing the song quietly to themselves if they encounter a random number and don’t remember its value.
I have included an example of a worksheet with the tens frame and the Japanese numbers down the left side. The sums are down the right side and there is space for you to write the answer in Japanese. This would be a fun activity for you to do with the children and they could be your number Sensei! We will be doing many of these in class. I hope you enjoy learning Japanese together.
Chaney Sensei
Shizue Sensei
Deakin District Cross County
Junior School had 17 students represent the College at the Deakin District Cross Country held yesterday at Eastern Gardens in Geelong. The students who participated in the 9–10-year-old race completed a 2km course, with the older students completing a 3km course.
It was a great opportunity for all the students competing, most representing Christian College for the first time. All students ran extremely well and benefited from the experience competing against other schools in the Deakin District, which are Geelong College, Kardinia International School, Grovedale West PS, Montpellier PS as well as our two other campuses, Bellarine and Surf Coast.
Nick Rice
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.
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
Jennifer Freind, Foundation Manager
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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