Middle School Term 1 Week 4

From the Principal

It only seems like yesterday I was writing here to welcome families to the new school year. Yet, here we are, at the end of Week 4, and so much has been packed in to Term 1 already – commencement assemblies, parent welcome events, student leaders’ inductions, Year 7 camps for Bellarine and Highton and Year 12 Outdoor Education alpine crossings. And, of course, plenty of learning taking place in classrooms from Prep to VCE.

Over the past week, I have had the privilege of participating in the services dedicated to inducting our student leaders at Belmont, Highton, and Senior campuses, and I look forward to next week's event at the Bellarine campus. The students who step up for these roles understand that genuine leadership stems from prioritising the needs of others over oneself. The core of servant leadership, akin to Christ's example, isn't about wielding authority or power, but about selflessly serving and empowering others. In that sense, every student, whether they carry a leader’s badge or not, possesses the capacity to lead by demonstrating selflessness. An approach centred on caring for others significantly enhances the dynamics in our classrooms, playgrounds, and indeed, our communities. As Philippians 2:3-4 says, "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others." This verse beautifully underscores the importance of prioritising the needs of others in leadership and in life.

What’s Happening at Middle School

Week 5

• Mon 26 Feb – GISSA Senior Girls Cricket Championship
• Tues 27 Feb – GISSA Intermediate Boys Cricket Championship
• Wed 28 Feb – Instrumental Music Performance Evening – Voice
• Thurs 29 Feb – Year 5 Parent Cuppa and Information Morning
• Thurs 29 Feb – College Production Rehearsal – Cinderella
• Fri 1 Mar – GISSA Tennis Div.2 Championships
• Sun 3 Mar – College Production Rehearsal – Cinderella

Inaugural GISSA Triathlon

The morning of February 15 brought a picturesque scene as the sun broke through the clouds, casting a shimmering light on the water adorned with morning dew. Excitement filled the air as the inaugural GISSA Triathlon Championships commenced at Eastern Beach. This event had been eagerly anticipated, marked on the calendars of many. Christian College proudly fielded a team of 20 student-athletes, including six from our Middle School ranks.

The competition began with a 150m swim around the shark enclosure, followed by a quick transition as athletes hastily donned their shoes and raced up the iconic Eastern Beach ramps to reach the bike transition. The bike leg comprised of three to four loops (4.2 – 5.6km) with varying gradients against the backdrop of the ocean, with students pushing themselves to secure favorable positions for the final run. After returning their bikes to the rack, all athletes completed a challenging up-and-back 2km run, culminating in a demanding gradient finish.

The day saw numerous top-10 finishes and a couple of podium achievements, showcasing the dedication and talent of our students. Regardless of whether it was their first triathlon or not, every participant should feel immense pride in their accomplishments. Witnessing the students’ unwavering attitude and effort throughout the day was truly inspiring.

As we reflect on this event, we eagerly anticipate a year of training and look forward to what future Triathlon Championships may hold. For any student interested in exploring the world of triathlon, please reach out to Mr Matt Murnane (Director of Sport) at m.murnane@ccg.vic.edu.au or Mr Callen Wade (Coach) at c.wade@ccg.vic.edu.au

Middle School Students who competed on the day:

• Byron Morgan
• Locky Rice
• Patrick Thomas
• Reece Hornsby
• Archie McKie
• Noah Stephens

House Swimming Carnival

The House Swimming Carnival is our first major House event for the year, and it is a fantastic opportunity for our students to showcase their swimming skills, foster team spirit, and engage in healthy competition.

The event will take place on Thursday March 7 from around 9.30am until approximately 2.45pm. The event will be held at Kardinia Aquatic Centre in South Geelong.

Our House Swimming Carnival not only promotes physical activity but also encourages camaraderie and sportsmanship among the students. The College believes participation in House Competition is an integral part of the school Sport program and asks all parents to support us in our aim of having our students participate. The program has been designed to cater for the swimming ability of every student with a Championship and Novelty section included in the program. 

In the Championship events, students can compete in Freestyle, Breaststroke, Backstroke and Butterfly. Chosen students will compete in either Freestyle or Medley relays. The Novelty competitions involve activities held on the grass area and in the pools at Kardinia. These events are open to all students who wish to participate. We encourage students to prioritise their Championship Events and then attend the Novelty competitions as they are able.

International Women’s Day Celebration at Senior Campus

All members of the CCG community are invited to join us at the Senior School campus for International Women’s Day on Friday March 8, as we continue the long-held tradition of the IWD breakfast. This year the event will be held in the RW Gibson music centre on Senior Campus, commencing at 7.20am and with formalities concluding by 8.30am. A light breakfast is provided, and we will hear from two inspiring women with links to our community who are making an impact in the wider world.

About our speakers - Former CCG student Ms Georgie Purcell MP was elected to the Legislative Council of the Victorian Parliament in November 2022, representing the Animal Justice Party. Georgie is a passionate animal protection advocate. After entering a political role at just 26 years old – she has noticed the way young people, particularly young women, are not represented in our halls of power. Georgie wants to change that.

Former teacher at CCG, Ms Gabrielle Blythe was an Olympic athlete, representing Australia in race walking events at the 1992 Olympic Games. Gaby now works with young women in her teaching and mentoring role at Clonard College, as well as inspiring a new generation of female athletes through her coaching. Gaby’s story is an amazing story about strong, resilient women who helped her to achieve her goals, despite significant difficulties along the way.

To join us on the day, please complete the booking form at https://www.trybooking.com/CPMKT.

In order to keep the day accessible to all, we are not charging participants for entry/breakfast. If, however, you are able to make a small contribution (gold coin or similar) on the day to help cover costs, it would be greatly appreciated.

Reconciliation Action Plan Working Party

In late 2022, Christian College Geelong formed a Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) Working Party in a commitment to addressing, supporting and implementing our journey towards Reconciliation.

Late last year, due to this College priority, our Reconciliation Plan was ratified by Reconciliation Australia and published on their website. It will soon be appearing on our College website.

Our RAP Committee meet as one body once per term and comprises Acting Principal Rick Geall, a Chairperson, a College Board member, College staff, First Nations students and other interested students, and parents of First Nations students.

While we meet as one group, we incorporate two specific areas: Curriculum and Resources; and Community and Events. Each plays a role in planning, creating and sharing opportunities for Reconciliation in the classroom, around our campuses and across the broader community.

Students Progressing Through Their Learning

Starting a new school year and returning to the classroom, forming or maintaining friendships, preparing a school bag and school lunches reforming habits and routines can be an exciting time for parents, carers and students alike.

No matter if you are joining us in Prep, or reconnecting at our Middle Schools or Senior Campus, the collaborations between home and school have shown that children learn best when the important adults in their lives (parents, carers, teachers), are able to cooperate and support them.

At Christian College, feedback on student involvement and advancement in learning is a key element of strengthening the Home / School Partnership. It gives parents, carers, students and teachers information about learning opportunities and sets a direction to guide future teaching and learning activities, both inside and outside of the classroom.

At Christian College, such feedback is shared with parents through various methods. In-time reporting through the SEQTA Engage platform, Parent Portal, SEQTA Notifications, sometimes via email, the assessment task itself, or verbally via a learning conference and finally on a student report distributed at the end of each semester.

You may be able to access your child’s progress with their learning through the SEQTA Engage platform, but also for students with a College device, we would encourage you to sit with your child and their device to see the work that they are doing in their digital learning platforms, such as the Microsoft Teams app, where summaries of the learning may be visible in the upcoming Assignments feature of Teams.

Qustodio Parent App

Supervise and Support Your Children on Digital Devices

This week we have communicated with all families who have a child who has enrolled with us as a new student in 2024. These parents have received an invitation and guide to activate their Qustodio parent account as part of our school program via email.

A reminder to parents that the Qustodio Parent App is available to all our parents to help them supervise and support their children with their online and digital interactions at home, on the school device and on personal devices.

While parents of new students to the College have received an email invitation to activate their Qustodio parent account, any parents in our community who have not yet done so can activate their account at any time if they wish. This help document will guide you in getting started.

In addition, these short video guides will help you:

• Creating a Qustodio parent account to connect to a child’s school account

• How to invite an additional parent/carer to join your Qustodio family account

• How parents can get help with Qustodio

• Getting started with your Qustodio parent account

I hope that parents will value and benefit from this tool available through our school program. I’d also like to remind parents that we have a Digital Wellbeing and Cybersafety Parent Forum coming up on March 20, with more information to come shortly.

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. 

ENVISAGE – a Helpful Support Service

We would like to bring to the attention of all parents/guardians and families a program that exists as a possible support for families in the Geelong region called ENVISAGE.

ENVISAGE is a program co-created by Australian and Canadian researchers, clinicians, and parents of children with developmental concerns and disabilities. Their mission is to “empower caregivers to feel confident and competent to navigate the experience of parenting a child or children with developmental concerns by embracing contemporary strengths-based ideas about health, wellbeing, and development”.

We have included this link to the ENVISAGE website should you wish to discover further information as to whether this service could be of benefit to your child and your family.

Camps, Sports and Excursion Fund

Financial Assistance for Eligible Parents

School camps provide children with inspiring experiences in the great outdoors, excursions encourage a deeper understanding of how the world works and sports teach teamwork, discipline and leadership. All are part of a healthy curriculum.

Every Victorian child should have access to the world of learning opportunities that exist beyond the classroom. The Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF) helps ensure that no student will miss out on the opportunity to join their classmates for important, educational and fun activities. Support from CSEF is provided by the Victorian Government to assist eligible families to cover the costs of school trips, camps and sporting activities and forms part of the State Government’s commitment to breaking the link between a student’s background and their outcomes.

If you hold a valid means-tested concession card (HCC) or are a temporary foster parent, you may be eligible for CSEF. A special consideration category also exists for asylum seeker and refugee families. The allowance is paid to the school to use towards expenses relating to camps, excursions or sporting activities for the benefit of your child.

The annual CSEF amount per student is: • $150 for primary school students • $250 for secondary school students

How to Apply

Application Forms are available online through the Parent Portal (Go to ‘Student Information’ > ‘Important Forms for Parents’) these forms can be downloaded, completed then uploaded according to the instructions. Hard copy forms are also available from reception at each campus or by emailing enquire@ccg.vic.edu.au

More Information

For the CSEF application closing dates and more information about the fund please visit this webpage

CSEF_Application_Form_2024

Find Yourself at our Open Day!

On March 5, all five Christian College campuses and two kindergartens are holding Open Days. Our Open Days provide the opportunity for parents and others interested in enrolling their children at Christian College to have a firsthand look at our College campuses, speak with campus leaders, participate in student-led tours of the facilities, visit classrooms in real time and have their questions answered.

We would encourage everyone in our Christian College community to spread the word and tell anyone you might know who is considering schooling options for their children about our Open Day and the opportunity to come and visit one or more campuses and/or our kinders, with no tour booking required.

Details are on our website – follow the hotlink on our homepage or click Homepage > Join > Open Days.

Opening times for March 5 are as follows:

Junior School-Belmont and Williams House Kindergarten – 9:15 – 10:45am

Bellarine Campus – 9:30 – 11:00am

Surf Coast Campus and Butterfield House Kindergarten – 11:30am – 1:00pm

Middle School-Highton – 10:30am – 12:00 noon

Senior School – 11:30am – 1:00pm

We would love to see as many interested families as possible finding themselves at our Open Day!

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

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!