Welcome Back to Term 2!
On behalf of the Junior School staff I would like to wish all of our Junior School families a very warm welcome back to Term 2. We have been blessed this week to welcome some new families to Junior School and are excited for them to become part of our wonderful community.
We began this term with a beautiful ANZAC service on Wednesday. I would like to take this opportunity to commend all the students and staff who so reverently conducted this service and share my great pride in the way they honoured those who have, and those who continue to, serve for us as Australians. I would also like to express my gratitude to our community for your attendance and participation at this service. It was wonderful to have the opportunity to share this special occasion with families, invited residents of Sirovilla, Deputy Head of the Senior Campus Mrs Di Martin, members of the Airforce Cadets from our Senior School Joshua Holmes, Jessica Muskett, Aiden Stuart, Pheobe Arnott and David Hunter. I would also like to commend Senior School student Mitchell Grunberg who shared the Last Post and Reveille and our Junior School choir members for their outstanding musical contributions.
We look forward to hosting our Open Day at Junior School next week on Tuesday the 2nd of May. We are always thrilled to be able to share our beautiful Junior School with others in the community and I encourage you to share with others that they do have an opportunity to visit Junior School on this Open Day from 9.30am-11.00am. We are grateful to Jack Sims and Andy Phillips who have been working hard on our grounds and to Mrs Braun who has been working with our student leaders to prepare them for conducting the Open Day tours.
In opening our campus, I am reminded of the hospitality scripture verses from Romans chapter 12 “Bring strangers in need into your homes. Live together in peace with each other. Do your best to live in peace with everyone”.
We continue to be grateful this term for the many learning opportunities for our students and other exciting special events to come this term.
God Bless
What’s on at Junior School
Week 2
Monday 2nd May – Junior School Open Day, 9:30-11:00am
Thursday 4th May – Year 2 Camp (Please refer to EdSmart notification)
Thursday 4th May – Deakin District Cross Country, selected Year 4 Students (to be advised)
Friday 5th May – Year 2 Camp (Please refer to EdSmart notification)
Week 3
Wednesday 10th May – Prep Discovery Learning
Friday 12th May – Assembly, 3R Class Item
Friday 12th May – Mothers’ Day Stall
Friday 12th May – Mothers’ Day Tabloid Sports, 1:30 – 3:25pm (Edsmart notification to come!)
Week 4
Friday 19th May – Timor Leste Independence Restoration Day, Casual Dress in Black, White, Red, Yellow themes. Gold coin donation to support our friends in Viqueque, East Timor.
Friday 19th May – East Timor Restoration Day Assembly, 9am. Project Care stall, recess.
Week 5
Wednesday 24th May – National Simultaneous story time – The Speedy Sloth
Wednesday 24th May – Prep Discovery Learning
Friday 26th May – Commencement of Reconciliation week: 26th May – 3rd June
Friday 26th May – Assembly, 4B Class Item
Future Enrolments
We are now completing our planning and confirming enrolments for next year (2024) and also for 2025. Parents are reminded that siblings of current students, expecting to start at Christian College in 2024 or 2025 at any year level, must complete the online enrolment process by clicking on this link . As you will already have had an interview and tour you are not required to do so again unless you wish to discuss the enrolment with Head of Campus, Mrs Ann-Marree Weigl.

A Strong Start Back in Prep!
The Prep cohort has made a strong start back into Term 2 and are eager to get straight back into their learning.
“Children learn as they play. More importantly, in play, children learn how to learn” O. Fred Donaldson
Each day, the students have fun lessons planned for their learning. This week, we have been looking at 10s frames in Numeracy and writing sentences in Literacy.
After our Maths daily review, which refreshes the students’ minds on our prior learning, we jumped straight into a game of ‘Race to 20’. The aim of the game is to take turns rolling the dice with a partner and putting the unifix cubes on their 10s frames until they reach 20. The first one to 20 wins!
The students love this game and enjoy playing with a partner of their choice. It encourages them to count, identify numbers using dice and collaborate with their peers. This is a fun game that can be played at home as well. Simply draw up some 10s charts and away you go!
The students have enjoyed getting back into their learning this week, and we can’t wait to see all the fun learning ahead in Prep this term.
Year 1 – ANZAC Day
It was so great to see all the students’ bright smiley faces on their return to school on Wednesday. 1B settled back into classroom routines very smoothly. We all had a wonderful first day catching up and hearing what the students did over the holidays.
This week we had lots of exciting events happening at school, starting off the week with an ANZAC Day service. The students got to learn about ANZAC Day and what it means. We had special guests from Senior School who participate in the region’s cadet programs, who spoke to us about what they do as cadets.
The students enjoyed learning about ANZAC Day, we read the story ‘Anzac Biscuits’ and explored some of the vocabulary in the story. The students then learnt about the different ways in which ANZAC Day is commemorated. 1B coloured their own slouch hat which is a famous a symbol of the ‘Australian fighting man’ during World War One. The students thoroughly enjoyed creating these hats and learning about ANZAC Day.
We are looking forward to another term of fantastic learning.
‘Lest we Forget.’
Year 4 – Resourceful Toys
Our Year 4 classes have started the term with great excitement as they collaborate and explore options for creating a sustainable toy made from recycled materials. As we explore the concept of ‘materials’, the students will consider the purpose of the material, its strength and durability and whether it’s processed or natural.
For the first session this week, students considered a range of recycled materials they could use in the creation of their toy. Further to this, in the coming weeks as their toys start to come to life, our Year 4 students will consider what applied and indirect forces are being exerted for the use of their toy. Some of these forces include- push, pull, thrust, friction, gravity and drag. During the unit, students will also be conducting small experiments during their scheduled Integrated Studies lessons and collecting data, which will enable them to make informed scientific conclusions.
Sports Uniform for Term 2

Mothers’ Day Stall Reminder
A reminder that our Annual Mothers’ Day Stall will be held on Friday May 12. We would be very grateful for some donations of small packets of chocolates, chips, coffee or tea bags etc. Any small cash donations would also be gratefully accepted.
On the day of the stall, please remember to send along $5 for your child to spend at the stall. If your child requires more than one present, there will be an opportunity for students to revisit the stall during recess to make further purchases.
Year 2 Camp Reminder
We are looking forward to Year 2 Camp next week on Thursday and Friday May 4 and 5. Please see below a list of suggested items to bring along to camp.
* A small suitcase/carry all overnight bag, clearly named on the outside
* Sleeping bag clearly named on the outside, pillow, pillowcase and single sheet (flat sheet or fitted sheet).
* A bath towel, hand towel and face washer.
* Sensible footwear – 1 pair of shoes extra or boots, (in case shoes become wet)
* Two changes of underwear, socks, shirts or skivvies.
* Clothing appropriate to the season: waterproof jacket, summer hat, beanie, warm pyjamas/tracksuit, shorts, tracksuits or jeans
* Toiletries: Toothbrush, toothpaste, brush and comb, soap, insect repellent and sunscreen all in toilet bag.
* Tissues, (small pack)
* Torch for night walk
* Plastic bag for soiled clothing.
* One book for evening reading.
Small backpack for first day with snack, lunch and water bottle
Please note: We ask that electronic games, phones, smart watches, personal valuables (such as jewellery/money) and cameras (due to privacy reasons) are not brought along to camp. We also ask that parents avoid sending along lollies/snack items in overnight luggage due to food allergy concerns.
Prep – 2 Music in Term 2
What a great start! The Prep, Year 1 and Year 2 students have engaged in lots of singing, dancing and music-making so far in 2023. All classes have been learning to sing pitches and use hand signs to accompany them. Perhaps your child has come home singing ‘so mi’ and can do the hand signs? The Kodaly approach develops musicianship through singing and uses hand signs developed by John Curwen. Using this approach, the students have learned simple songs and will develop the ability to recognise the pitch of a note as higher or lower.
In addition, there’s been lots of games and dancing with a firm favourite song – Top of the World by Shawn Mendez which featured in the movie ‘Lyle, Lyle Crocodile’. The Prep students have loved playing games, especially Music Detective! They have learned the music terms for soft (piano) and loud (forte) and can play their instruments with these in mind. We have used buckets, djembe drums, ukuleles, lots of percussion instruments and explored the way that vibrations create sound through water play with tin cans. The students have also begun to think about the way we can move to music and respond to different tempos whilst keeping the beat. Year 1 students have explored beat and rhythm by using hoops to show the beat and people in the hoop to make the rhythm! Year 2 students have been learning about stringed instruments as well as composing their own rhythm sequences and practising their treble clefs. We look forward to lots more music fun in Term 2!
Chess Club

Equestrian Interschool Championships
Christian College Equestrian Team members competed in the 2023 PETstock Equestrian Victoria Interschool State Championships from April 15 – 19.
The CCG team consisted of eight riders, from three campuses, who competed against 438 other riders and 600 horses in their chosen disciplines throughout the event.
All riders pushed through the challenging conditions and supported one another to end up 13th overall out of 165 schools!
Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Days!
All Christian College campuses will open their doors on May 2 in the first of our Open Days for 2023.
This is an opportunity for parents/guardians and families who are considering Christian College as an option for their young people to visit one or more of our campuses, meet students, teachers and campus leaders, tour facilities, visit classes in progress and have their questions answered. It provides an authentic insight to how our College operates on a day-to-day basis. For those considering either Junior School-Belmont or Surf Coast Campus, please note our Early Learning Centres - Williams House in Belmont and Butterfield House in Torquay - will also be open for visitation at the same time as the campuses.
No booking is required, with campuses open at the following times:
Junior School-Belmont: 9:30 – 11:00am
Bellarine Campus: 9:30 – 11:00am
Surf Coast Campus: 9:30 – 11:30am
Middle School-Highton: – 11:15am – 12:45pm
Senior School-Waurn Ponds: – 11:30am – 1:00pm
If you have friends or acquaintances who are considering schooling options at any level, from Prep through to Year 12, please encourage them to take this opportunity to visit our campuses on May 2.
Any interested families who are unable to attend on May 2 can book a tour at any campus at a time that suits them by visiting our website and clicking on ‘Book a Tour’.
Picnic at Hanging Rock – Performances on Next Week!
Picnic at Hanging Rock is a captivating and mysterious story that explores the disappearance of four schoolgirls and their teacher during a picnic at a local geological formation in Victoria, Australia, on Valentine’s Day in 1900. The novel by Joan Lindsay, published in 1967, was adapted into a film by Peter Weir in 1975, which became a landmark of Australian cinema and culture. The story has inspired many interpretations and adaptations, including the performances brought to you by our Christian College Senior School students.
Excitement is now running high - next week's shows are on at Platform Arts in Geelong in Lt Malop St, with three evening shows from Thursday May 11 to Saturday May 13. Tickets are only $30 and the cast and crew are looking forward to performing to full houses. Please note that Picnic at Hanging Rock contains mature themes, parental discretion is advised re the age of audience members.
To purchase tickets please follow this link:

Sports Centre Programs
Swim Squad
Christian College offers a morning fitness swim squad program. Fitness swim squad is for medium to advanced swimmers of all ages who are capable of swimming multiple laps over a 45-minute period and who are wanting to improve their technique and fitness level under the coaching of the very experienced team at Geelong Swimming Club (GSC). **Please be aware this is not a swimming lesson.
Swim Squad will run every Wednesday and Friday from 7:30am - 8:15am beginning Wednesday May 3rd and finishing for the term on Friday June 23rd.
The cost is only $6.50 per session, payable by the term and is also open to non-CCG students to join is as well. You can choose between one or two sessions per week.
We will require each participating CCG family to email and provide their full name, year level, DOB, address and phone number to secure their spot to info@geelongsc.org.au
Students can bring their own breakfast which they can eat in the Sports Centre kitchen.
Swimming Lessons
Swimming lessons are held in the Middle School Sports and Aquatic Centre M-F after school hours and also Saturday and Sunday morning. Please visit https://geelongsclts.org.au/ for more information.
Karate Lessons
Karate lessons are offered at the Middle School Sports centre each Wednesday evening from 6pm-7pm by the Japanese Karate Association of Geelong. Please email jkageelong@gmail.com for more information.
A MYTERN Thought for This Week
Whatever road you are now on, just take a deep breath and know that everything is going to be ok.
Even if you can't change your circumstances or the people around you, you always have the option to change how you respond to them…thus changing the way you feel 👍🙏😊👏
Discover more about MYTERN here