From the Deputy Head of Campus
This week sees the commencement of our preparations for the season of Easter. Our Dean of Christian Culture, Mia Kafieris reminds us that Lent is a time of anticipation but importantly preparation so that Easter can be meaningful and not missed. As a community we look forward to supporting our senior students to prepare for this time of Easter, just as we seek to prepare them for all the meaningful moments and events ahead of them this year.
Senior School students continue to be immersed in opportunities, with House Swimming Carnival preparations underway in the pool as teams prepare for the showcase synchronised swimming event at Kardinia Pool next month. Our Year 11 Outdoor Ed classes have enjoyed superb weather for their first Otways trips and our musicians have celebrated with a Strings workshop and Wind Symphony performance this week. Many students are excitedly awaiting the arrival of our visitors from our sister school in Indonesia SMA N 2 Mataram. A group of Indonesian students will be hosted by us for eight days, arriving on Monday 27th. It is the first cultural exchange since the pandemic and we are very grateful to Ms Jess Bijaksono for the planning and preparation it takes to organise this. Similarly, we are grateful to the students and families willing to host an international visitor. Later this year we will also be celebrating a return of visitors from Naga High School in Japan.
At our Welcome to Senior School evening earlier this month, we invited parents to join us in the journey this year, it has been so wonderful to see many of you at our events and carnivals to date and we sincerely look forward to your involvement and presence throughout the year.
Dianne Martin, Deputy Head of Campus
International Women’s Day
#EmbraceEquity is the theme for this year’s International Women’s day. Once again Senior School is proud to celebrate the day with a breakfast and a panel of speakers. This year we are taking a look at the challenge to embrace equity – past, present and future. Our guest speakers include:
- Mrs Jan Strauch, pioneer of IWD at Senior School
- Ms Ruby Evans – proud Yorta Yorta woman, Youth Support Officer at Strong Brother Strong Sister and co-founder of an Aboriginal apparel company called Soul Sister Co
- Year 4 student Miss Hannah O’Neill who will be one of the many young women inspired by the opportunities that have been made available to her by the work of those who have been calling for equity in our world
International Women’s Day is held this year on Wednesday March 8th in the R.W. Gibson Centre at Senior Campus, starting at 7.20am and concluding around 8.30am.
This is a ticketed event so please use the link below to book your seat.
We look forward to your company.
Dianne Martin, Deputy Head of Campus
Presentation Ball Information Evening – Year 11 Families
As emailed recently, this coming Tuesday 28th February is the Information Evening, hosted on TEAMS, for the 2023 Year 11 Presentation Balls. I look forward to sharing some key information with you about the event and welcome your questions either on the night or by email as we commence the preparations. If you are unable to attend, the slide deck will be made available to you along with a letter and participation form that your child can collect from their House Mentor during the week.
It was fantastic to get these balls back on the College calendar in 2022 and I can’t wait to celebrate with you in June.
Dianne Martin, Deputy Head of Campus
Library Lover’s Month – “Only You”
Library Lovers’ Month is celebrated during February. It is a month to honour our library, librarians, assistants, and the valuable role that the Senior School Library plays in educating our students.
The theme this year was ‘Only You’. Our purpose in the library is only you – everything we do is just for you, our students. We love that we provide a safe, non-judgmental space, a place for every student. You can read a book, find information, learn, discover, work, connect with friends, or just relax.
Our Year 10 students have only been on campus for four weeks and have visited the library weekly with their English classes. Many students come from a school where their library was very small, had limited hours and limited resources, some students come from a school that did not have a library at all. After having their library orientation lesson with their Teacher Librarian, and showing them all that the library can offer, we wanted to know what our new Year 10 students’ first impression was of their Senior School Library. Students were encouraged to write what they love about their library – first impressions count. Many comments were left on the Library Lovers message board. A few are below…
Labrini Soldatos
Urban Bee-ology at GTEC
On Monday and Tuesday this week the Year 10 Ecology class attended a two-day program at The Gordon in Geelong to learn about the importance of bees and what is required for a bee-friendly environment in a human used space.
During the ‘Urban Bee-ology’ program students learned how bees are an important part of our ecosystems and applied this knowledge when designing and creating their own 3D bee-friendly environments. The idea was for students to design the space on the roof of the Gordon building to ensure that it was an environment suitable for both bees and humans to use. Once created, the students entered into the world of their creations through the use of a VR (Virtual Reality) walkthrough. Students were then able to go back on Day 2 and make adjustments and modifications based on what they saw during their walk through. They left the session with a video they had created about their concepts and ideas, and hopefully a greater understanding about why bees are so important for our environment.
Some student feedback on the program:
The Gordon excursion was really fun and was a great experience for us. We were taught how to use design and editing software to create bee-friendly rooftop garden space. We could do whatever we wanted with the roof as long as it was bee-friendly. We were taught what makes a space functional as a garden and as a social space as we were designing the garden on the Gordon’s roof. The design software was easy to use and gave us lots of freedom to do what we wanted with our gardens. Some of us decided to add office spaces, ponds, veggie patches and many more great ideas. In the end we all made gardens that we were super happy with, and they all looked amazing.
Meg Conheady
The Gordon excursion was a good opportunity. I think that it related well to what we are doing in class, getting to create our own bee environment made us really have to think about what actually needs to be in the environment to make it suitable for bees, and this can relate to many other animals. I thought it was a cool way of mixing technology with nature.
Amelia Hopper
Kylie O’Brien
CCG Hosts the Senior Strings From Westbourne Grammar
This past Tuesday saw our Senior String Ensemble combine with the Westbourne Grammar Senior Strings for a day of sharing a passion for String Music. The students spent two rehearsal sessions on some pre-selected music, focusing on preparing these pieces for a performance later in the day.
Combining the two ensembles allowed the students to experience playing in a larger sized ensemble than they are used to. Whilst this presented a slight challenge in playing together with more members in each section, it also resulted in a fuller and more resonant sound which was a fantastic experience for all players.
Following a pizza lunch and chance to mingle, the students returned to the RW Gibson Auditorium for a last-minute rehearsal, and then presented a short concert to various members of the CCG community.
It was a great way to start the year as each ensemble had only two rehearsals prior to this event, which gave each a group a clear focus to work towards in a short period of time. Hopefully we will enjoy more collaborations with the Senior Strings from Westbourne Grammar in the future!
Martin De Marte
Year 12 Feathertop Hike
“Mt Feathertop has got to be the most beautiful mountain in Victoria!”
Mr Evans, 2023
Mount Feathertop is the centrepiece of most of the promotional pictures of the Mt Hotham ski resort. At 1922m, it’s the second highest peak in Victoria. It has been the prized peak for Victorian bushwalkers to bag for about 100 years. And it is most certainly a very big hill.
One of the Year 12 Outdoor and Environmental Studies classes walked a loop out from Mt Hotham to Mt Feathertop, descending the very steep Diamantina Spur into the West Kiewa Valley and then climbing back up to Mt Loch via Swindler’s Spur to finish in the resort at Mt Hotham. The other class did the same loop in reverse and the jury is still out on which route was more challenging. We watched a group of young adults face the physical challenges of the steep hills with great persistence and determination and they made us feel proud.
We were treated with great weather and spectacular sunsets and sunrises and beautiful rivers to cool off in. Fascinating relics of bygone mining activities and pioneering mountain people and a feast of mountain vistas, stunning wildflowers, playful butterflies and tuneful ‘alarm clock’ birds in the mornings.
This first hand experience of a place helps us to understand how it was formed, the way Indigenous people lived there and how our ‘European’ relationships with that place have changed over time. We also came to understand the pressures that the environment of the Alps faces and how we can look after that environment going forward.
We would like to thank the students for their organisation and commitment to Outdoor and Environmental Studies and these programs, and all of the staff involved in making experiences like this possible for our students.
Louie Gross
David Evans
Careers Newsletter
Topics this week include:
Year 12 students:
- Scholarships for high achievers
- Early entry programs – now open
- Medicine, dentistry, oral health – UCAT ANZ and medicine information evenings
- Overseas gap year programs
- Work experience programs – zookeeping, forensic science and Defence Force
- Charles Sturt University – Explore Days
- Monash University – MySci Science program
- La Trobe University – early entry programs
Year 11 students:
- Work experience programs – zoo keeping, forensic science & Defence Force
- Charles Sturt University – Explore Days
- Monash University – MySci Science program
- La Trobe University – early entry programs
Year 10 students:
- Work experience programs – zoo keeping, forensic science & Defence Force
- Charles Sturt University – Explore Days
- The Science Experience program
- A Day at Melbourne University
All students:
- Upcoming career events
- Higher education campus tours – book your place
- Interested in studying law?
- Nuclear Medicine at RMIT University
- My Health Career – amazing website
- Careers in insurance
Bec Bromilow
Robyn Smith
Teachers Growing and Learning
Earlier this week, Christian College teachers, Julie Shutie from Junior School-Belmont, Emma Workman and Nicola Morrish both from Senior School, commenced a year-long learning journey with the Victorian Academy of Teaching and Leadership as Teaching Excellence Programme participants.
The opening conference was held at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre with the opening address from Victorian Education Minister, Ms Natalie Hutchins. She celebrated the role and work of the teaching profession and the work we would undertake as participants in this prestigious program. She charged us with growing ourselves as learners to ensure we are providing the best possible learning outcomes for our students across the state.
We then heard from the CEO of the Academy, Dr Marcia Devlin OAM, who celebrated the teaching profession and this innovative teacher program where 500 leading teachers from across all three sectors (Independent, Catholic and Government) are working together to explore best practice in learning. She also celebrated the Master Teachers who will lead and guide the participants through the learning, with Christian College’s own Angela Tutty working as a Master Teacher for Humanities. Dr Devlin strongly emphasised that together, teachers can change the world.
Keynote speaker for the day was Professor Eric Mazur, Academic Dean for Applied Sciences at Harvard University, who challenged us to advance the quality of teaching through focusing on the quality of learning that takes place in our classrooms. He explored the human, social, cognitive and aspirational sides of learning and emphasised how the hard work of learning must be completed by the learner, with the teacher being more of a ‘guide on the side’. He challenged us to consider intrinsic and extrinsic desires of learners, inspiring us to continue to seek the inner spark of our learners and how this joy enhances their curiosity and improves student outcomes by building meaningful connections to their learning.
We leave this first stage of the Teaching Excellence Program feeling energised to embrace the program objectives and well placed to positively contribute to the teaching profession.
Nicola Morrish, Julie Shutie & Emma Workman
Device Program and Digital Wellbeing Parent Resources
Over the past two weeks, parents of our Year 4 students across the campuses have had the opportunity to attend an information session about the College’s 1:1 Device Program and Cyber Safe Schools Program. At Surf Coast and Bellarine Campuses, where students attend beyond Year 4, this invitation was extended to other families, especially new families to the College.
It is our desire to partner with parents in supporting students at all ages to develop positive digital behaviours and online safety, and these evenings provided information, guidance and support to parents – particularly parents of Year 4 students prior to the students having the opportunity to begin bringing their laptop home.
Though there was some emphasis on supporting parents in the Year 4 context, the information shared during these evenings is relevant and useful to all College families and parents. At each evening, a parent resource was made available to parents with a range of information about the device program, policy, eSafety parent guides and more.
I encourage all parents, regardless of the stage of their child’s learning journey, to explore the video recording of one of these evenings and the parent resource pack. Both of these are available via the links below.
- Video Recording of Device Program and Digital Wellbeing Parent Information Session
- Device Program Parent Resource Pack
During these evenings, the Qustodio parent app was explored as one tool available to College families as a support in the home. Families with students new to the College can expect information about how they can make use of this tool, if they wish, in the next couple of weeks.
Brendan Vanderkley, Director of Digital Learning
Symphonic Band Blast – The Senior Wind Symphony Puts on a Show!
The Year 5 and 7 students from Bellarine, Highton and Surf Coast Campuses all attended a concert and band instrument demonstration/trials this Wednesday. The Senior Wind Symphony performed for the students and also demonstrated their individual instruments. This ensemble is the most advanced of the five concert bands across the College, it is a 50-piece band with students coming from years 10-12 at the Senior Campus.
The concert was a great avenue for our senior students to inspire the younger students with their beautiful music and generous spirit. The band performed three works which is a great effort so early in the year! As conductors, Mr Rankin and I are very proud of the enthusiasm and energy and look forward to our rehearsals and performances throughout the year!
Bravo Senior Wind Symphony!
Fiona Gardner, Director of Teaching and Learning – Music
Lego Club
Dear Families of Christian College Senior, Middle and Junior Schools,
At Junior School we love our Lego, and we are reaching out to families to see if they can assist us in any way to build our resource.
Lego is used at Junior School for students to come together and build skills such as turn taking, sharing, listening, teamwork and collaborative problem solving. In the early 2000s, US paediatric neuropsychologist Daniel LeGoff (2004) published research that showed many children were more interested in interacting with each other if they were playing with Lego. Therefore, as Lego promotes social interaction it is also a part of the social groups that we provide for children where they can practise communication and social skills while having fun.
Whilst we do have a small collection of Lego, our levels of student engagement are meaning that we are seeking donations from any families that may be able to part with their much-loved Lego. If you have or know of anyone who may have Lego that is no longer used, or taking up space in a cupboard or storage space, and want to know that it will go somewhere where it is loved and looked after, I would ask that you contact junior@ccg.vic.edu.au to let us know. All donations will be gratefully accepted.
Thank you.
Ann-Marree Weigl, Head of Campus, Junior School-Belmont
Visit Back Creek Café!
Christian College’s Back Creek Café in Meredith is a vital part of our Year 9 residential farm experience. Located 15 minutes south of Back Creek Farm, the café is open six days a week (not Sundays) from 8:30am to 3pm. On weekdays during term time, working at the café is part of the schedule for the Year 9s’ Farm Program work groups. Students learn a whole range of hospitality-related skills as they assist with the day-to-day café operations.
If you’re passing through Meredith this weekend, or just fancy a 35-minute drive up the Midland Hwy from Geelong, make sure you drop in and say hi. While you’re there, enjoy the best coffee in town – or choose from a range of other beverages – indulge in an all-day breakfast or one of the other scrumptious light meal/snack options on the menu. There is also a variety of sweet or savoury treats to enjoy while you’re there and delicious home-made produce to purchase and take home.
You can also check out the latest from the café via its Facebook and Instagram pages.
Back Creek Café is located at 1/27 Staughton Street Meredith. For enquiries and bookings, call 5286 1166.
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