These occasions provide an opportunity for me to speak with the students to encourage them and to share a message. My focus this term was to ask each of us to consider how we contribute to our community. I used a mirror to demonstrate how we can see ourselves in the reflection of our community and more importantly to use the mirror to reflect on how we contribute to making our community a welcoming, safe, and nurturing place to learn together. 

During the assembly, I talked about kindness and asked students to consider how they interact with others at school, online, outside of school and within their families, reminding us all of the commandment given to us in the Bible. 

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another" (John 13:34).  

The command to love each other was not new, but Jesus magnified it by adding the spirit of the law, that we be motivated to love each other with the self-sacrificing Godly love that Jesus showed. 

This term as we re-engage and re-connect with each other as a community, this is a wonderful reminder for us all, students, staff, and parents. 

Last semester concluded with perfect examples of community events that demonstrated the value that comes from being together when we gathered for the Year 11 Presentation Balls and the Year 12 Formal. These events were a credit to the young people involved for the way that they conducted themselves. I am most grateful to the staff and families for supporting them. 

Our annual Staff Retreat was held over three days prior to the semester break. We were blessed to be guided through a series of sessions led by Middle School Chaplain Mia Kafieris, titled ‘A Hero’s Journey’, guiding staff through a time of reflection, and personal growth. There was time dedicated to fellowship, worship and to honour colleagues that have reached significant milestones in their careers, serving our college over 10, 15, 20, 30 and 40 years. These fabulous staff achievements are listed below. 

10 Years 

Kristen Barr 

Matthew Bonner 

Kim Doherty 

Renee Garing 

Nicola Morrish 

Kate Pritchard 

15 Years 

Ben Anderson 

Jane Bailey 

Stephanie Butler 

Kerrie Dapiran 

Shirley Lazaric 

Jonathan Maddock 

Steven Sullivan 

Regina Thomae 

Brendan Vanderkley 

Jessie Warren 

20 Years 

Andrew Allen 

Mandy Calderwood 

Mark Foran 

30 Years 

Paul Brewster 

Stephen Cody 

Glen McKeeman 

Karen Smits 

40 Years 

Daryl Riddle OAM 

I congratulate our colleagues and thank them for their contribution to the life of Christian College. It is particularly significant to celebrate and highlight our CEO, Mr. Daryl Riddle OAM, on the 40 years dedicated to visionary leadership and energy that has left a remarkable legacy for our College. Thank you, Daryl. 

The staff were blessed to commence this term with a service and to hear an encouraging message from Pastor Matt Jacoby, Senior Pastor from One Hope Baptist Church. 

After repeated cancellations over the last two and a half years the staff also had the privilege to hear Dr Jordan Nguyen speak on Monday following our commencement service. Dr Jordan Nguyen is described as one of Australia’s most innovative engineers, who is committed to improving the lives of as many people as possible, and to help become a driving force behind both human and technological evolution as we move into the future. 

An internationally renowned engineer for humanity, Jordan designs life-changing technologies to transform the lives of people with disabilities and the elderly through his role as founder of Psykinetic, a social business committed to bringing positive, sustainable and life-altering change, and shares his adventures through documentaries across the world. Inspired by human endeavour, Jordan has big ambitions to see our world step consciously and creatively into a better future. 

Jordan’s address was inspiring, engaging and a perfect fit with our college vision and philosophy for the ‘Learning That Matters.’ His encouragement to the staff will flow on to our students as a result of hearing about his experiences as a student and his work today. 

Term 3 has certainly commenced with a positive vibrancy and energy. I look forward to all that is in store for us in the coming weeks. 

At the beginning of our week, we were blessed to be visited by our College Principal Mr Glen McKeeman, College Vice Principal Mr Scott Elliss, College Captain Sophie Potter and Year 12 student Molly Inglis at our Commencement Service. At this service Mr McKeeman spoke to the children about being a member of the community that shows love to one another. He encouraged the children to think about when they look in a mirror do they see someone who is loving and kind and how their love and kindness reflects to others. His encouragement was for the staff and students to think about the words God shared in the first two commandments: 

‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’  This is the greatest and the most important commandment. The second most important commandment is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as you love yourself.’  The whole Law of Moses and the teachings of the prophets depend on these two commandments. Matthew 22:37-40.  

With this message I encouraged the teachers and students to reflect on how God loves them and how they could love and be kind to one another. Some of their reflections have been: 

God loves me because He made the sun to keep me warm.  

God loves me because He made my family. 

We could be kind to someone up if they fall over and look after them.  

We could be kind when a friend gets stuck on the playground and we could ask “are you ok” and help them. 

We could be kind when we smile at someone and ask them to play with us. 

It is in the small things like a smile, a kind word and a kind deed that we can all reflect a heart for others, and I look forward to continuing this message from Mr McKeeman with the staff and students at Junior School as we begin our new term together.  

Week 3: Monday July 25th 

Thursday July 28th – Year 1 Excursion, Aldi Supermarket (please refer to Edsmart notification) 

Thursday July 28th – Basketball Extravaganza (Edsmart notification to follow) 

Friday July 29th – Assembly, 2R Class Item 

Week 4: Monday August 1st
Tuesday August 2nd – Junior School Open Morning, 9.30-11am 

Thursday August 4th – Bush Prep, Prep B,G,M & R 

Friday August 5th – Year 4 Excursion, Melbourne Museum and IMAX Theatre (Edsmart notification to follow) 

To book a Student Learning Conference appointment with your child’s teacher please access the online booking system at www.schoolinterviews.com.au (http://www.schoolinterviews.com.au/) using our school’s event code. The Online Conference Booking Information document attached includes the event code and full instructions to make your bookings. Please note, bookings close on Monday 18 July, 4pm. 

Please also find attached a document which outlines the steps for you to participate in the online Teams conferences. We encourage you to forward any queries regarding accessing the online conferences to our IT Specialists by contacting helpdesk@ccg.vic.edu.au  

After building our understanding and knowledge through sorting everyday shapes based on their attributes, we spent time observing and feeling varieties of 2D shapes and discussing their attributes with a buddy. Finger drawing mystery shapes on each other to guess the shape was fun!! 

On our 2D Shape yard hunt, we built on our learning and knowledge of where we can find 2D shapes in our environment, their purposes, and even discovered materials they can be made from. This learning also linked in so well with our Integrated Studies unit ‘Materials and Movement’ that we are currently introducing. 

Some yard hunt reflections were: 

Samvidha: I can see a hexagon inside the round ‘nail’. 

Valeria: The handle on the flying fox is a triangle made of metal. 

Lexie: The chains on the bridge are ovals and they are made of metal. 

2D shapes are everywhere! 

The children have also been able to apply their knowledge and understanding during our Masterclass sessions, where they have been able to build different animal habitats. During this time, the students have been provided with the opportunity to share their creations with the class, and to also identify the different features they have included as part of their environments. 

Through this Integrated Studies topic, the children have been able to continue to build their learning power muscles of resourcefulness and reflectiveness, in terms of questioning, making links, planning, and revising ideas. 

This term, the children are looking forward to using their skills and knowledge as scientists, to research a chosen animal and to present their understandings to the class through a written information report and a diorama! 

The students did a great job of a designing their own postage stamp featuring a prominent Aboriginal role model. Some of the students focused on prominent Indigenous role models like Ash Barty or Adam Goodes whilst others featured lesser-known people like Kirsten Banks, a Wiradjuri woman who works as an astrophysicist and believes we can learn a lot about what is happening on earth by looking up at the stars.  

We realised that having Indigenous role models can provide us with inspiration, set us an example on how to live our lives and in many cases show us what is possible if we set our mind to it. 

These sessions provide interested families with the opportunity to take a deeper dive into the fantastic learning programs offered by our College. There will be opportunities to meet and speak with campus, year level and subject area leaders.  

We would encourage anyone within our College community who may know friends, neighbours, work colleagues – anyone – that are considering Christian College as an option to spread the word and extend an invitation to any one or more of these sessions.