Middle School Term 2 Week 1

New Life

Here at the Middle School-Highton  campus, we have begun Term 2 in wonderful spirit this week. I am always energised by the enthusiasm, positivity and wonder of our young people, especially noticeable at the beginning of a new term. Students across the campus have re-engaged with their classes, teachers and peers, and our rich learning programs are in full swing. As you will read below in Kerrie’s article, we started the week with a beautiful ANZAC Service. Thank you to those families who were in attendance. For those not able to be there, please be encouraged that the behaviour and respect shown by our student group, for the importance of commemorating the service of our nation’s bravest men and women, were outstanding.

One of the themes we have begun discussing with our students lately is that of new life. As you could imagine, this is particularly topical around the period of Easter, as we have explored Christ’s life, death and resurrection. However, I believe that exploring what ‘new life’ is and means to us is relevant always, including now at the start of a new term. After a couple of highly tumultuous COVID years, I was encouraged throughout Term 1 by the strong sense that new life is certainly budding and blooming across our campus this year. I’m of course aware that a COVID ‘hangover’ lingers to some extent, but I hope that in your own experience, you too are feeling a renewing of spirit, energy, health and community this year. This is certainly an experience we are striving to promote for your young person here at CCG, done so through the classes, excursions, lunchtimes, camps, lessons and ‘everyday’ interactions. We’ll continue this at next week’s Learning Conferences too, where my staff are looking forward to meeting with you to discuss the progress of your young person’s learning so far this year.

ANZAC Service

April 25, marks the event that took place in 1915, 108 years ago, when Australian and New Zealand troops landed on the shores of Gallipoli. For the vast majority of the 16,000 Australians and New Zealanders who landed on that first day on the shores of Turkey, this was their first experience of combat. By that evening, 2000 of them had been killed or wounded.

On Wednesday morning, we came together as a Middle School – Highton community to remember those brave ANZAC soldiers, and all those who have served our country and sacrificed their lives since then, in what was an honouring and beautiful service.

Our service was capably led by our student leaders, with special thanks to Thomas Moffatt who played ‘The Last Post’ and the Middle School Choir who gave a moving rendition of ‘Amazing Grace’.

We also wish to acknowledge the contribution of Mr Sean Rankin, a current Christian College staff member, and Leading Aircraftsman, Bugler and musician, in the Royal Australian Airforce. Sean brought a powerful, personal touch to the gathering, and helped us all better understand the significance behind the ANZAC symbolism. Giving our students the chance to see an active serviceman ‘in the flesh’ and hear stories from his own Defence Force experience was a real highlight, and will be greatly remembered.

Our Head of Campus, Mr Adam Kennedy, concluded the service by acknowledging the way our students participated so respectfully within this service, as well as reminding them to bring their best as they carry out their studies ‘with spirit’, at the commencement of a new term.

What’s on at Middle School

Week 2

• Tue 2 May – Open Day
• Wed 3 May – GISSA Year 7 & Year 8 sporting fixtures
• Thurs 4 May – Deakin District Cross Country Championships
• Thurs 4 May – 3 X 3 Junior Schools Basketball Challenge – Qualifying (Boys & Girls)
• Thurs 4 May – Learning Conferences
• Fri 5 May – Vic Schools Surfing Titles
• Fri 5 May – Year 8 Medieval Day (MRY)

Week 3

• Mon 8 May – VSAC Swimming Championships
• Tues 9 May – Robbie Noggler – Essential Education Talk – Year 7
• Wed 10 May – Robbie Noggler – Essential Education Talk – Year 8
• Wed 10 May – Year 7 & 8 GISSA Sporting fixtures
• Thurs 11 May – Robbie Noggler – Essential Education Talk – Year 9
• Thurs 11 May – 3 X 3 Inter-Schools Basketball Challenge – Qualifying (Boys & Girls)
• Fri 12 May – GISSA Athletics Championships

Library News

Science Talent Search at CCG 2023

Students at Christian College Geelong in Years 5-10 are invited to participate in the 2023 Science Talent Search (STS).

The Science Talent Search has three broad aims:

1. To stimulate an ongoing interest in the study of sciences by:
   • encouraging independent self-motivated project work amongst students of science.
   • giving students the opportunity to communicate their achievements to a wider audience.
   • providing recognition of effort and achievement in a scientific enterprise.
2. To promote the direct involvement of the students in the processes of science and its communication.
3. To give the public at large an opportunity to see the quality of work being achieved in science, by both primary and post primary students.

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

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:

https://events.humanitix.com/ccg-picnic-at-hanging-rock

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.