Junior School Term 2 Week 6

National Reconciliation Week

Next week, Christian College joins with the rest of Australia in celebrating National Reconciliation Week. This important time of the year marks a number of significant events that have played a role in healing the relationship between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians. May 27 commemorates the anniversary of the 1967 referendum, which successfully enabled Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to be counted in the Australian population for the first time. And on June 3 1992, a High Court ruling recognised that a group of Torres Strait Islanders, led by Eddie Mabo, held ownership rights to Mer Island, thus ending the centuries old British 'terra nullius' edict over the lands of Australia.

A number of activities have been arranged throughout the week on all campuses, with each day’s morning homerooms being the place where students will learn something different about the importance of reconciliation. A First Nations picture story book will be read, a song sung by our Junior School Belmont choir will be shared via video link and an Aboriginal mindfulness activity experienced.

There will also be a ‘Wear It Yellow’ fundraiser on some campuses on the Friday, where students are encouraged to wear a splash of yellow with their school uniform, an opportunity to raise awareness and funds for Children’s Ground organisation.

Christian College is committed to reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. In 2022, a working group was formed to undertake the important task of developing a Reconciliation Action Plan. After 12 months of work, our ‘RAP’ was submitted to Reconciliation Australia and has since been endorsed and published on their website. I would invite you now to watch a short video (approx. 3.5 minutes) that explains what a RAP is, who's on the team and what actions Christian College is undertaking to fulfil our commitment to reconciliation.

RAP launch video

Fostering Respectful Relationships

You are no doubt aware of recent media reports detailing incidents at a number of Victorian secondary schools involving deeply disturbing sexist behaviour towards female students. Such incidents are of grave concern, particularly in consideration to the rates of family violence and violence against women occurring in the community.

We wanted to take this opportunity to reassure you that Christian College has zero tolerance for discriminatory, intimidatory and prejudiced behaviour in all forms. In accordance with our College values and philosophy, we expect all students to act with integrity, respect and compassion toward others.

Within our teaching and learning program, Christian College provides students with the opportunity to learn about gendered roles and expectations, gender stereotypes and gender equality in supporting the development of healthy relationships with others. We are committed to the whole-school implementation of the Victorian Government’s Respectful Relationships program which supports schools in teaching children how to build healthy relationships, resilience and confidence.

We also recognise that fostering positive attitudes, behaviours, and a sense of equality among students is most effectively achieved when these values are consistently modelled and demonstrated throughout our school community.

We have a collective responsibility to be part of the sustained change needed and we are committed to fostering a school culture of empathy, understanding, respect and equality. It is important that schools work in partnership with families to take a proactive and preventative approach when it comes to addressing any concerns in our own community.

Together, we can create an environment where our young people feel safe, supported and are given every opportunity to flourish.

From the Chaplain 

As a follow on from the Parent Prayer Group that was mentioned in our 2024 welcome letter and in Mia Kafieris’s Vine article in Week 6, we would like to offer a time and space for parents and carers to gather together with our Campus Chaplain Darcee Braun and intentionally pray for the families, staff and general happenings of Junior School and the wider College. 

Jesus spoke a lot about prayer, both in our own time and with one another and it is our hope that this intentional time together would be filled with the hope, peace, faith and love that inviting Jesus into our everyday lives offers. 
 
This will take place on a Tuesday morning from 9:00am – 9:30am onsite at Junior School every three weeks during school terms. 
 
Our first Parent Prayer meeting will take place on Tuesday June 4. Term 3 dates will be communicated at the beginning of Term 3. 
 
Everyone is welcome – should you have any questions, please feel free to send me an email or give Junior School reception a call. 
 
If this is something you would like to attend, please refer to and accept the EdSmart you have received, simply so we can get a gauge of numbers to set up an appropriate space to meet. 
 
Please note that you will require a Working With Children’s Check to attend these prayer sessions. 

East Timor’s Celebration of Independence

On Monday May 20, we celebrated East Timor’s Celebration of Independence. Students came to school in the colours of Timor Leste’s flag – red, white, black and yellow and had the opportunity to listen to, discuss, participate in and reflect on why this day is celebrated here at Christian College. 
 
Our Year 4 leaders ran a service over the PA system, sharing about the history of East Timor and our connection with them that has continued to grow over the years. The service also allowed us to listen to East Timor’s national anthem and spend time praying together for the people of East Timor. 
 
Part of this day involved students being encouraged to bring in a gold coin donation, with this year’s focus being to raise funds for tables and chairs at a local school – Raitahu. Students were able to experience this tangibly by spending a short amount of time not using their tables and chairs in the classroom, an opportunity for them to experience and discuss what this may be like for students in East Timor and then celebrate the great contribution their gold coin is making in other peoples’ lives. As a campus, we raised close to $350, a wonderful effort that not only goes towards new tables and chairs for the people of Raitahu, but also a reminder that we see them and value them. 
 
Thank you so very much for your generous participation in this day, we pray that as a community, we can continue to strengthen the friendships we have with the people of East Timor, learn from their hearts and rich culture and do what we can here to support them in practical ways. 

Knitted With Love – Our Incredibly Clever and Generous Resident Knitter 

A grandparent within our Junior School community has tirelessly been knitting ‘Godly Play’ stories for our staff and students to use. These sets offer students the opportunity to explore Biblical stories in a tangible and interactive way, allowing for discussion, wondering and reflection. Our students have been loving engaging in these stories and they have become a valuable part of our program here at Junior School.

We are so thankful for her generous time and resources to bring these stories to life and as resources continue to be knitted for Junior School, we want to share her incredible talent with our community and offer a way for our families to get involved and support.

In the Junior School foyer, a stall has been set up where hand-knitted teddies, hearts and animals can be purchased, with all proceeds going into purchasing more yarn. Pop into the foyer anytime and have a look, there will be new creations coming in throughout the term.

A special highlight is the small hearts for sale for $2 – these work wonderfully for students to have in their pocket throughout the day and hold onto in times of big emotions or for added comfort.

We are so thankful to have this very special and talented knitter within our Junior School community and thank her for her generosity and heart to serve. We hope these Godly Play story boxes will be part of Junior School for years to come.

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 7 – Reconciliation Week 
Monday May 27 – Handmade bracelets for sale in Junior School foyer, $2 per bracelet. All proceeeds to go to Children’s Ground, ‘Help us support a brigher future for First Nations children’.
Tuesday May 28 – Arthur Reed Photos (please refer to EdSmart) 
Tuesday May 28 – Lunchtime concert 
Wednesday May 29 – Prep Discovery Learning, 1:00pm 
Friday May 31 – Year 4 Forces incursion (details to come) 
Friday May 31 – Prep – Year 2 chapel service, 9:00am-9:30am 

Week 8  
Monday June 3 – Lunchtime concert – Vocal students, 1:00pm
Tuesday June 4 – Lunchtime concert, 1:00pm
Wednesday June 5 – World Environment Day  
Friday June 7 – Assembly 9:00am, 2B Item
Friday June 7 – Combined String Ensembles rehearsal morning, 8.55am-1.45pm, Bellarine campus (Junior String Ensemble)

Year 2 Mathematics 

This week in Year 2, students have been exploring measurement, including length and width. For an interesting exercise we looked at stories from the Bible, such as Noah’s ark, and the measurements they were given to create and build these biblical objects. The measurements often used in the Bible were cubits and spans. A cubit is the length of your elbow to the tip of your fingers and a span being the width of your hand from the tip of the little finger to the end of your thumb. Year 2R used these newly learnt measurements to explore the length and width of objects in the playground. Did you know that the bench seats are 12 cubits long and 5 spans wide? It was a fun and exciting Maths lesson for our Year 2 students! 

Ready for Royalty! 

This week we began our content knowledge unit of Kings and Queens. This unit is a wonderful way for children to develop historical and factual knowledge and connect to fictional stories.  

Already we have been exploring key vocabulary including kingdom, royal, rulers and throne. We have discussed the roles that kings and queens play within their kingdom and the impact they have over others. We completed a directed drawing to illustrate a king and queen in their kingdom and write about the spectacular crown they may wear.  

As the unit continues, we will move into fictional stories that are based on the ideas of royalty such as King Midas, the Princess and the Pea and Cinderella. There will be opportunities for the children to make and create, write responses to texts, build their oral language skills and collaborate. We will also have a very special Royal Party to celebrate all that we have learnt.

Timor Leste Independence Day – Life in East Timor 

As the Christian College Geelong community celebrated Timor Leste Independence Day this week we have been so blessed at Junior School and in 3G and 1R specifically to be able to share the experiences of family members who have lived in Timor Leste.

Whilst we have been learning about Timor Leste, a nation that beams with pride and resilience. Jamie and Sarah Galbraith parents of Lachie (3G) and Olivia (1R) have shared some of their memories from their unique opportunity to immerse themselves in the vibrant culture and daily life of this young country. Jamie’s year-long tenure with Care Australia involved pivotal work in marketing communications and a significant project aimed at keeping girls in school. Meanwhile, Sarah’s four-month teaching stint at the Dili International School and the Australian Embassy allowed her to contribute to the education sector of East Timor. 

Their experience was nothing short of extraordinary. The warmth and gratitude of the Timorese people made every day a lesson in humility and joy. The couple explored the country’s natural wonders, from its pristine beaches to its verdant mountains, even becoming certified scuba divers in the Timor Sea. They also participated in the East Timor Tour of Peace, a mountain bike race that symbolises the country’s spirit of unity and endurance. 

Taking Music Into the Community 

Junior School, Belmont continues to strengthen its ties with our local retirement village across the road, Sirovilla. This week our class of Year 4 students, 4B, prepared some musical delights to share with the residents. We began by including our friends from Sirovilla in our music warm up song, ‘Music Day Today’ to the delight of everyone. There were suggestions of doing the Hokey Pokey, dancing like a worm, tapping our head while rubbing our tummy and plenty more to get us moving and having fun. 
 
It was a joy to witness the confidence of our young people and particularly those that shared a solo musical performance. We had violin, piano and classical guitar pieces that brought smiles to the residents’ faces. The students performed a beautiful rendition of Owl City’s ‘Shine Your Way’ before spending some time in groups sharing writing about the students’ skills and talents. 
 
The residents that joined us were back for another offering after our precious visit with 4G in Term 1. It was wonderful to hear the conversations across generations, of the skills and talents that are shown. Students heard about residents that used to be farmers or worked in a mill and those that now run a bocce club or are highly skilled knitters! 
 
There is so much we can learn from cross-generational communication and relationships. At Junior School we continue to find opportunities to share in the lives of Sirovilla’s residents and learn from our wise and senior neighbours. As it says in Proverbs 20:29, ‘The glory of young men is their strength, grey hair the splendour of the old.’ 

Scholastic Book Club News

Issue 4 of Scholastic Book Club has been distributed to students and orders should be placed online by Friday, May 31. Our preferred payment method is via LOOP either using the mobile app or the desktop site which can be found here.  Please do not send cash as we are unable to process cash payments. Thank you for your assistance and support of Book Club. 

Reminder:  Generative AI Parent Webinar

A reminder to parents and members of our community that we will be offering an online parent webinar, delivered via Microsoft Teams, next Wednesday. It has been wonderful to see such strong parent interest via RSVP responses and questions submitted so far.

There is still time to register for this event. Further details about the event are listed below.

Event: Generative AI and School Parent Webinar
Format: Microsoft Teams online webinar
Date: Wednesday, June 12, 2024
Time: 6.30pm – 7.15pm

Topics likely to be explored in the webinar include:

• What is generative AI?
• What are the benefits, risks, and limitations of these tools?
• What is the College’s response to generative AI?
• What AI tools do students have access to at school?
• What are the College’s rules and guidelines for use of generative AI?
• How can I support my child with navigating this space ethically and safely?

Interested parents are encouraged to register for the event via the form link below, to help with planning. Parents can also indicate what information they feel would be most relevant to them as they complete this form.

Register for the parent webinar

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!