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Middle School Term 2 Week 4

by | May 19, 2023

Celebrating a Special Bond

The world has always been about relationships and this is something we pride ourselves on here at Christian College. The relationship we have forged with the people of East Timor, in particular those in Viqueque, is long-standing, and one we hope will continue long into the future.

This week, students have gained an understanding of this special bond we have through three specific devotions, teaching them about: the Timorese culture; their fight for independence; and Christian College’s work in Viqueque.

Middle School students have greatly contributed, donating generous amount of money to so we can buy “Bricks for Buikarin” a local Viqueque school supported by Christian College in East Timor.

Students also participated in a flag-raising ceremony, symbolising East Timor’s rise to be an independent country. Local hand-woven fabric called Tais were tied around the flagpole symbolising our continued friendship. Our Year 8 Project Care Representatives ran this ceremony.

Many of our College’s Project Care Representatives have contributed greatly to the celebration this week, running devotions described above.

On behalf of the Christian College East Timor Committee, I would like to thank the community for your support in giving to our friends in East Timor. Stay tuned for some updates on how much we raised. Every cent raised will be sent to the Buikarin school to be used for the construction of the classroom.

Obrigada (Thank you)

Graham Barton

What’s Happening at Middle School

Week 5

  • Mon 22 May – Class Photos and Individual Portraits
  • Tues 23 May – GISSA Intermediate Boys (Year 9 & 10) AFL Championships
  • Tues 23 May – North Geelong Division Cross Country Championships
  • Wed 24 May – Rural 3 (9H & 9M Boys) Program Concludes
  • Wed 24 May – Year 7 & 8 GISSA Sporting Fixtures
  • Thurs 25 May – Rural 4 ( 9H & 9M Girls) Program commences
  • Sun 28 May – Tues 30 May – Year 9 GEOS Camp (Group 1 & 2)

Read more

      Class Photos and Portraits

      Our Middle School – Highton 2023 class photos and individual portraits are taking place on Monday, May 22. This is an important day in the school year for all of us, and we look forward to capturing for you a moment in time during your young person’s journey at Christian College. 

        

      All students are to wear full College uniform on the day, including blazer. If students are wearing the ‘original/old’ uniform, they are to wear full winter uniform. Students in the new ‘mix and match’ wardrobe, can wear their preferred items, however, please note that jumpers and cardigans will be removed for the shots. We appreciate that for this year, and in the coming year, there will be a ‘variety’ of uniforms in the class photos.  

        

      Students who have a Physical Education class on the day are asked to bring their PE gear in a separate bag. 

        

      Students are asked to present themselves in line with our College uniform policy. Some key reminders include shoulder length hair being tied back, hair cut neatly, boys to be clean shaven, blue or maroon ribbons only, no make-up, small gold or silver, sleeper/stud single or double piercings…and big smiles!  

        

      A note on glasses – all students who wear glasses will receive individual portraits with glasses on. Like you, we know that all our students look perfect just the way they are. However, to enable the photographers to provide the best possible quality shot, your young person may be asked to briefly remove their glasses. 

        

      Due to their current participation in the Farm and Transformation programs, students in 9H and 9M will have their photos taken in Term 3 – Tuesday, July 18. 

        

      Thank you in anticipation for your support in helping your young person present themselves brilliantly on this, and every day. 

      Kerrie Dapiran, Deputy Head of Campus

      Upcycling in Product Design      

      Several students have been thinking about creative ways to upcycle materials that would otherwise end up at a weekend bonfire or at the tip.  William Wray (on the right) and Ben Schaddee (on the left) in Year 9 have been harvesting wood from pallets and are now preparing to use the wood for planned projects; Will is making a doghouse and Ben is making a stand with planter boxes.  These projects and the materials ‘tick all the boxes’ because students get physical with the tools and pallets while having to think about how the materials can be machined and used.  This process involves careful gathering of inspirational images, rough sketches and drawing final plans. I am looking forward to seeing their final projects at the end of this term.

      In other news from Product Design, some Year 7 students have decided to make custom-designed birdhouses.  Again, this is an excellent use of some materials donated at the end of last year.  This is another opportunity to have students think creatively about using available materials and gaining an appreciation of great results that can be enjoyed through careful planning and consideration of material opportunities and constraints.  Illyria McCormack and Eliana Wheate were cutting cedar shakes (shingles) out of scrap cedar that I had in my shed.  Again, the finished products are going to be spectacular!  I’d live in one of those houses!

      David Kehler

      Transformation

      The Transformation Program brings many rich learning opportunities to the Year 9 Students. During their time in Transformation the students undertake a Passion Project, where they research an area of interest and set about making an impact in that area. This week a group of students organised a speaker from Victoria Police to come and chat to the group about elder abuse. This talk was fascinating, and the students got to learn all about this issue. In addition, another student organised two guest speakers to come in to talk about Endometriosis and to raise awareness around the signs and symptoms of this debilitating condition. Students were also able to participate in an empathy workshop in Melbourne where they got to distinguish the difference between sympathy and empathy. It was a brilliant learning experience for the group. Two students also hosted a high tea at Empire Grill in order to raise awareness around eating disorders and body image and raise funds for the Butterfly Foundation. The three guest speakers gave a clear message, to seek help and that recovery is possible.

      As we are wrapping up the current program here are what some current students have to say about their experience during their time in Transformation:

      “It has helped me find new strength within myself”. Milly Butler

      “It is amazing because you learn new things that you don’t usually learn in class”. Ellowyn Humphris.

      “We have many great opportunities”. Madi Grills

      “It is a great way to explore my passion and express myself”. Mallory West

      Rebecca Barry

      Going to the Chapel…

      This week in Chapel, the Year 7s started a series on Identity, as we looked at being made, ‘One of a kind!’

      If you could be anyone in the world, who would you choose? Maybe Taylor Swift? Baker Boy? Spiderman? We tend to gravitate towards influencers in our world, who are one of a kind. Whether it be through their careers, giftings, money, or even superpowers, we all want to know that we are valuable.

      In Psalms 139:13, the author praises God saying, “You created my innermost being, you knit me together in my mother’s womb.”

      Scientifically, we know that from the womb, we are being knit together by the building blocks of life- DNA. No one else has your unique code of life. Your eye colour, skin, laugh and giftings are all a part of the DNA that God placed within you.

      God made you one of a kind – and that makes you incredibly valuable!

      Forget about the influencers on Tik Tok that we compare ourselves to, they’re only showing a mask of who they truly are. You are one of a kind- and nothing will ever change that. No matter where you’ve come from, what’s happened to you, or what you look like, you are incredibly valuable.

      No Chapel for the Year 5s and 6s this week as we celebrate East Timor’s Independence Day.

      Next week, the Year 8s and Year 9s are in the Chapel, and we are excited to be exploring the parables of the Bible.

      Rachel Morris, Chaplain

      GISSA Track and Field Championships

      Our College Track and Field team recently competed at the GISSA Championships, with some excellent individual and team performances across the day. With our team captains, Isabella Jordan, and Aaron Hansen, along with our senior students leading the way, all team members competed very well in their various field and track events.

      Our younger students embraced this opportunity to compete against the other GISSA schools, posting some fantastic results, which culminated in winning both the girls and boys 13yr 4 x 100m relays. We acknowledge our male 4 x 100m relay teams, who nearly performed a ‘clean sweep’ of these races, with the 16yr boys finishing second in a very close race across the line.  

      The following students are to be congratulated on breaking GISSA records on the day: Suzannah Mavromihalis 16yr 1500m 4:52.27; Jacob McKie Open 1500m 4:16.03; Jack Berry 15yr Discus 37.26m; and Indianna O’Neill 13Yr Triple Jump 10.65m.

      In the overall point allocation, the College finished a very close second to Kardinia IC. However, with an eye to the future our Junior Boys (13,14 and 15yr  age groups) won their section on the day. We congratulate all team members for their fantastic performances on the day, and thank our team managers/coaches, Mr Kelly O’Neill, Mr Callen Wade and Mr Drew Oliver for their efforts with this team.   

      Andrew Richardson, Head of Sport

      GISSA Swim Team

      Our College was well represented at the recent Victorian School Association Swimming Competition held at MSAC. Swimming Victoria invites each of the School Sporting Associations to enter a team into this swim meet that attracts some of the best school age swimmers in the State. Nicole Briscoe, Jacob McKie, Kylan Nelson, Meg Conheady, Brooke Briscoe, Jagger Small, Olivia Clark, and Chelsea Ronning were part of the 32 member Geelong Independent Schools Sporting Association (GISSA) swim team that competed on the night. 

      The GISSA team finished a creditable twelfth on the night, with some excellent individual and relay performances. All our College swimmers performed very well, enjoying this opportunity in both their individual and relay swims to swim against the best. Nicole Briscoe finished second in her 50m backstroke, along with three other top 8 results. Chelsea, and Brooke enjoyed top 8 results in several their events as well. 

      We congratulate and thank these students for their fantastic swimming performances as part of this GISSA team. 

      Andrew Richardson, Head of Sport

      ChatGPT, Generative AI and Young People

      Information and guidance for parents

      Parents may be aware of the news and hype around recent developments in generative AI (artificial intelligence), especially the digital tool ChatGPT that launched in November last year. ChatGPT reached a million users in five days, and by January of this year had 13 million daily users.

      By typing in a specific prompt, a person can ask ChatGPT to produce a written response and it will create it in seconds. It can produce emails, poems, song lyrics, speeches, reviews, recipes, stories, social media posts, working program code, and academic essays and reports. It can analyse text and code, and offer advice on improvements, corrections, and alternative approaches for just about any written text.

      ChatGPT facilitates a chat-based conversation between the person and the AI chatbot that produces the output, allowing for questions, refinements, and iterations on the original output until the resultant text suits the intentions of the user.

      Read more

      Brendan Vanderkley, Director of Digital Learning

      Vocation Education and Training (VET) Tasters

      Year 9 and 10 Preparation for Vocational Education and Training (VET) in 2024

      Senior School students can choose to study a VET course off-campus as a subject in Year 10, 11 and 12. These courses are usually undertaken over two years giving students a TAFE certificate qualification on leaving school in addition to their VCE. They providestudents with an opportunity to gain industry training assisting them with career pathways. The Gordon is offering some free VET tasters for interested students.

      Registrations are now open for Taste of TAFE sessions.

      This brilliant two-day program will give Year 9 and 10 students an insight into the incredible careers TAFE can deliver. They run from 9.30 am – 2.30 pm and students can choose to do one or both days. Taste of TAFE is a fun and engaging program that will see students get hands-on with all program areas at their East Geelong and Geelong City campuses. 

      Tuesday July 18 2023 Taste of TAFE at East Geelong Campus
      Tuesday July 25 2023 Taste of TAFE at Geelong City Campus

      Registration forms and information about the tasters on offer can be collected from the student office or Year 9 Coordinator. Forms must be completed and returned to the student office no later than May 24. Early application is advisable. 

      For more information about studying VET at Senior School please contact Kerryn Fearnsides via k.fearnsides@ccg.vic.edu.au

      Kerryn Fearnsides, Vocational Pathways Coordinator

      Uniform Shop Clearance Sale!