Junior School Term 3 Week 1

Welcome Back! 

A warm welcome back to our returning families and welcome to new families joining us at Junior School in Term 3. We are looking forward with gratitude to a wonderful term ahead and it has been a delight to see the students settle back into learning and friendships this week.  

One of the things that this time of year reminds me of is being grateful. Grateful for a warm bed to sleep in at night when the weather is so bitter outside, grateful for the opportunity to have such a beautiful school campus as we fundraise to support our friends in East Timor, and I could go on. ..

Gratitude can be described as having a Heart of Thankfulness and is a transformative attitude. It helps us shift from focusing on what we lack to recognising the abundance of blessings around us. In our gratitude, we choose to appreciate the goodness and faithfulness of God in every aspect of our lives. Gratitude opens our eyes to the wonders of creation, the kindness of others, and the countless gifts bestowed upon us by our heavenly Father. 

Additionally, gratitude isn’t limited only to favorable situations. Even in trials and challenges, we can find reasons to be thankful. Knowing that God is present to comfort and guide us through difficult experiences is certainly a reason to be grateful.  

Student Learning Conferences Reminder

A reminder that the Junior School Student Learning Conference bookings for Tuesday 23rd July and Thursday 25th July will close on Monday 22nd July at 4:00pm.

To book a Student Learning Conference appointment with your child’s teacher please access the online booking system at www.schoolinterviews.com.au using our school’s event code – aexkd.

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.

Term 3, Week 2 

Monday July 22, 4pm – Student Learning Conference bookings close 

Tuesday July 23 – Online Student Learning Conferences, 4-7pm (please refer to Edsmart notification) 

Wednesday July 24 – Prep Discovery Learning 

Thursday July 25 – Online Student Learning Conferences, 4-6pm  

Seasons for Growth Program 

Change and loss are issues that affect all of us at some stage in our lives. At Christian College we recognise that when changes occur in families through death, separation, divorce or other significant changes and losses, young people may benefit from learning how to navigate grief and manage these changes effectively. 

To continue to support the students holistically, we will be offering an education program called ‘Seasons for Growth.’ 

This program is facilitated in small groups and is evidence-based which highlights the importance of social support and the need to practise new skills to cope effectively with change and loss. This program has a sound curriculum structure and relies on a wide range of age-appropriate strategies including writing, discussion, sharing stories and music. Please understand that Seasons for Growth is not a counselling program and participation in this program is voluntary. 

Parent Prayer Group Invitation 

It was so special to meet with a group of parents late last term and pray together in our first Parent Prayer meeting. We would like to continue offering a time and space for parents and carers to gather 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. 
 
During Term 3, this will continue to take place on a Tuesday morning from 9:00am – 9:30am onsite at Junior School every three weeks of term. 
 
Our Parent Prayer meetings for Term 3 will take place on: 
 
Tuesday the 6 August (Week 4) 
Tuesday 27 August (Week 7) 
Tuesday 17 September (Week 10) 
 
Everyone is welcome – should you have any questions, please feel free to send me an email or give Junior School reception a call on 5241 1565. Would love to see you there. 

Sky, Grass and Ground in Prep 

This week in Prep, we have started back using our sky, grass, and ground whiteboard magnets on the floor to enhance the Preps’ handwriting skills. These magnets are stuck on our mini whiteboards and allow students to easily correct any letters, making the learning process smooth and enjoyable.  

Students carefully placed each magnet to represent the different parts of letters, ensuring proper positioning. This hands-on activity not only made learning fun but also reinforced their understanding of letter formation.  

After mastering the exercise on the floor, the students grabbed their pencils and transferred their knowledge into their sky, grass ground books, confidently writing with improved accuracy and neatness.  

This task follows our reading of the decodable class text, exposing the students to words and language that consolidate prior learning. Once finished, the students love to create silly sentences or drawings to match their pictures. We’ve noticed significant growth in the students’ handwriting as a result. 

Here are some of the things the students have to say about handwriting: 

“I like writing and learning new words to put on the magnets” – Harper T 

“Handwriting is my favourite time of the day” – Anthony I 

I like handwriting because I feel proud counting how many words I can do” – Ezra D 

Holiday Recount: Fact or Fiction?

It was wonderful to welcome the Year 1 students back to Junior School after the mid-year holiday break. The children were eager to catch up and chat about all the exciting things they got up to during the holidays! The classroom was buzzing with excitement as everyone shared a highlight of their school holidays. Many children enjoyed watching the latest movie at the cinema and catching up with friends, while others visited some beautiful places across the country. Some children enjoyed staying home and having a rest after a busy Term 2. 
To make writing about our holidays a little more interesting, the children completed an activity which asked them to write and draw two things that happened over the holidays followed by one fictional story. The children then shared their completed writing piece with a partner, and they guessed each other’s factual and fictional stories. It was a fun and engaging way to recount our school holiday adventures.   Well done Year 1 – wishing you all a terrific Term 3! 😊 
 
“On the holidays I had a sleepover at my Nan’s, and we went to see Inside Out 2 at the movies” Hazel. Fact or Fiction? FACT 
 
“On the holidays we went to Sydney, and we got a pet dog” Pia. Fact or Fiction? FICTION 
 
“On the holidays I went to the MCG to watch Melbourne Vs Eagles and I stayed up until 8:20pm.” Cillian. Fact or Fiction? FACT 
 
“On the school holidays, I went to the beach” Sonny. Fact or Fiction? FICTION 

Embracing NAIDOC Week With Helping Hands 

In a vibrant celebration of culture, respect, and diversity, Year 4 students participated in NAIDOC Week activities, using the symbol of helping hands to reinforce essential values. NAIDOC Week is a time dedicated to celebrating the history, culture, and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. 

This year, our Year 4 students embarked on a journey of learning and reflection, guided by the theme of helping hands. The helping hands served as a poignant reminder to treat others fairly and respectfully, learn about different cultures and celebrate the rich diversity that makes Australia unique. 

Throughout the week, the students engaged in various activities highlighting these values’ importance. They created colourful handprints, each decorated with kindness, understanding, and unity messages. These handprints were displayed around the school, creating a beautiful tapestry of inclusivity and mutual respect. 

Scholastic Book Club News  

Issue 5 of Scholastic Book Club has been distributed to students and orders should be placed online by Tuesday, July 30. 
Our 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 continued support of Book Club. 

Scholarship Applications Now Open!

Scholarship applications for Year 5, 7 and 10 entry to Christian College in 2026 are now open. You can access all the information you need, and apply, by visiting our website. There is a hotlink at the top of our homepage that takes you there, or just click here.

The scholarship testing date is Saturday October 12 and all applications must be received no later than close of business on Thursday October 3.

An Improved Website Menu and Structure

During the recent mid-year break, the menu on the Christian College website has been streamlined and the grouping of information simplified to improve the user experience. The homepage now has just five main tabs at the top – ‘Discover’, ‘Enrolment’, ‘Community’, ‘Parent Portal’ and ‘Contact’. There is also a ‘Book a Tour’ button for prospective parents and guardians who want to visit one or more campuses.

For parents, some key changes to note include the Term Calendar, which is now found under the ‘College Life’ heading on the ‘Discover’ tab. It can also be accessed via the ‘Community’ tab – under ‘News and Publications’, together with The Vine newsletters, In Focus magazine, the Annual Report and a new addition – ‘Latest on Instagram and Facebook’ where you’ll find links that take you directly to Christian College’s pages on each of those social media platforms. Emails to our College community will continue to be sent each Friday with direct links to that week’s Vine newsletter. 

Other changes include ‘Employment’, where positions at the College are advertised, is now accessed via the ‘Discover’ tab, under ‘About’, and the ‘Enrolments’ tab has links to all related enrolment information, including Tours, Open Days, Scholarships, The Enrolment Process, School and Kinder fees, College bus information and Before and After School Care.

Our website is a great resource that contains vast amounts of College-related information and we encourage you to familiarise yourself with the streamlined menu.

Save the Date – East Timor Trivia Night

The annual East Timor Trivia Night is always a great night of fun that supports Christian College’s work in Viqueque, and 2024’s event is on Friday August 9. This year the venue is the Sport and Aquatic Centre at the Middle School-Highton. It’s $10 per head, with each table seating 10 people. Get your friends and families involved, put together as many people as you can and don’t miss it! Call the Senior School Campus on 5241 1577 to book.

Seeking Support for Work Placements

Students studying the VCE Vocational Major (VM) are timetabled to work with an employer related to their VET course all day on Fridays. This is called Structured Workplace Learning (SWL). There are some prefilled forms to sign and there is a minimal cost of $5.00 a day to the employer. We are seeking workplace opportunities in the Plumbing, Building and Electrical trades. If you or someone you know are willing to help these students, to get a start in their chosen careers please contact myself k.fearnsides@ccg.vic.edu.au or Mary Higgins m.higgins@ccg.vic.edu.au  at Senior Campus. Thank you in anticipation of some support.

Seeking Christian College Company Members

Christian College Geelong is seeking expressions of interest from any parent or guardian interested in becoming a new Company Member.

Company Members play an important part in the governance structure and protection of the College. A number of positions on the Christian College Board are filled by company members, depending on the skillset required when vacancies arise, and it is the company members who have the responsibility of voting to pass any amendments to the Christian College constitution. Company members may also be eligible to sit on various committees involved in the governance of the College.

Whilst participating as a company member is not overly onerous, it needs to be pointed out that the position is voluntary and not remunerated in any way. Also, please understand an expression of interest does not guarantee automatic membership of the company.

If you have a heart for the College, and feel you would have the time to dedicate and an interest in this role, please contact the Company Secretary, Bernard Nicholls at b.nicholls@ccg.vic.edu.au. All expressions of interest must be submitted by COB Friday, August 2.

National Collection of Data on Students With a Disability

Every year, all schools in Australia participate in the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD). With data collected on the first Friday in August (August 5 this year), the NCCD process requires schools to identify information already available in the school about supports provided to students with disability.

These relate to legislative requirements under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and the Disability Standards for Education 2005, in line with the NCCD Guidelines.

Please see the attached NCCD Fact Sheet for more information.

NCCD Parent Fact Sheet

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!