Senior School – Term 2 Week 7

From the Deputy Head of Campus

Several Senior School events this week epitomise the purpose of schooling. They include both curricular and co-curricular activities that fully complement each other to contribute great value to our teaching and learning program.

The House Music performances on Thursday were the culmination of students collaborating, problem-solving and being flexible in their approach. The House choirs are an inclusive, musical demonstration of House spirit and the soloists and ensembles are a celebration of excellence in musical endeavours. We know that students learn better when they feel connected, and participation and acknowledgement in these types of events plays a large part in that.

On Wednesday evening our Year 11 students continued their dance practice for the upcoming Presentation balls. In partnered and progressive dances, students use repetition and trial and error to learn the steps, they make mistakes but keep practising, knowing that improvement will come; an approach that will also serve them well in academic subjects.

What’s Happening at Senior School

Tuesday June 4 – Casual Dress Day for East Timor

Tuesday June 4 – Year 10 Immunisations

Wednesday June 5 – World Environment Day

Thursday June 6 – Year 10 Drama Evening (6.30pm)

Monday June 10 – Kings Birthday – No school

Wednesday June 12 – Unit 1 Examinations begin

Friday June 14 – Year 10 Examinations begin

Senior School House Music 2024

On Thursday, this week the Senior School community gathered in the Highton Middle School SAC for the 2024 Senior Campus House Music Festival Concert. It was fantastic to welcome so many parents who were able to join us in what was a very special afternoon celebrating our students. The lead up to this concert saw students, led by students, prepare 20 items. Each of the four houses prepared a whole house choir, a large ensemble (up to 15 members), a small ensemble (2-5 members) and 2 solo artists, one being vocal the other instrumental. The commitment, collaboration, creative investment, and obvious student initiative to produce each item on the program has been outstanding. The Senior Campus musicians performed a vast array of music – and every student participated by singing in their full house choir. This year’s house choirs all chose a song from the 80s which proved a hit as they were also being used for the campus bells during the lead up to the day. The students were supported behind the scenes by House and Music staff in many ways.

At the end of the House performances, while the adjudicators followed up their scores the students were treated to a performance by Stephen Marsh (CCG Graduate 2009) who will soon be flying to Berlin to perform on the opera stages of Europe for the 2024/45 seasons. Stephen wowed the audience, filling the entire stadium with his voice. Another significant element of the day was having the house choirs accompanied by a staff band – Kym Dillon, Scott Jolley, Isaac Barter and Patrick Consedine. Kym provided musical support to the choirs in preparing rehearsal tracks and arranging the music accompaniment to support the students work.

Year 10s Head to the You Yangs

A total of 23 Year 10 Students chose the You Yangs Day Trip as their extension activity for our Risk unit. The day was divided equally between mountain biking on the Kurrajong mountain bike trails and climbing at Royalty Wall with Geelong Adventure Specialists (GAS). Our climbing instructors Shelley and Lily were great, and we are most grateful for their calm and confident instruction as the students built on what they had learned earlier in the term through their indoor climbing sessions.

Experiences like these require little facilitation from us as teachers when the students participate enthusiastically as they did – the activities do the teaching for us. It’s great to see young people getting so much out of these opportunities.

Some reflections from students:

I started my climb on one of the beginner routes, feeling the rough texture of the rock beneath my fingers. With each move, I became more confident, pushing myself further. Reaching the top, I took a moment to breathe in the fresh air and admire the view. 
Tha Nay Dreamer

The jumps/pump track during mountain bike riding was quite challenging, it was at the halfway point of our ride and people were starting to get pretty sore, including myself. But we … gave encouraging remarks as well as checked up on each other. Making sure our group was doing well, was key, and I’m glad everyone found that important, without it the day would’ve been much harder.
Benjamin Eden

Climbing at Mt Arapiles

Students who did not visit the You Yangs (see above) elected to participate in a three-day climbing trip to Mount Arapiles, a renowned climbing destination in Australia. During Reconciliation Week, students not only challenged themselves with the technical aspects of multi-pitch climbing but also took the time to connect with the land, an experience that enriches understanding and respect for our country’s indigenous heritage. These experiences exemplify the valuable intersection of outdoor education and cultural awareness, aiming to foster a holistic learning environment outside the traditional classroom setting. We look forward to sharing the collection of photographs and reflections from students in the coming week. 

HHD: the NDIS and Gen U in action!

Recently our Unit 3 Health and Human Development students attended an excursion to Gen U in North Geelong. This was to complement content covered in class, where students gain knowledge and understanding of how the health care system provides equity for people who live with a disability. Students heard from staff about how the National Disability Insurance Scheme provides opportunities for employment by Gen U. We had a tour of the facility and viewed many hard at work in fresh food preparation, washing in the laundry, as well as printing and packaging. Andrew, pictured with our students, shared how the NDIS provides for him with an individualised plan, paying for transport and employment. We all enjoyed a delicious lunch prepared by Gen U staff at the Seasons Café and highly recommend a visit!

High Quality Products in the Pipeline

As the end of term approaches, students from year 11 Product Design and Technologies are well into production on a range of projects. Having worked through the design process which includes research, a design brief, visualisations, design options, working drawings and prototyping, many projects are beginning to take shape.

Projects this year include a 3D printed reading lamp, a folding camp kitchen, a hardwood electric bass guitar, epoxy river tables, a wooden lamp stand and an epoxy project incubator. Both hand and power tools have been mastered, as well as CAD design and printing technology. I am very excited to see the projects developing and look forward to what new projects students will embark on in Semester 2.

Mindful Mondays in May

During the month of May the library celebrates all things Mindfulness by promoting and encouraging different ways you can make your mental health a priority. By performing an activity for only 20 minutes, you can refresh and reset your mind, which can be positive for your mental health.  emember it is important to do something for you, something that you enjoy, something that will help you relax and reset.

This week the focus was on the “Power of the Paper”

Origami is the Japanese art of paper folding. This activity has been associated with mindfulness. Its simplicity, the feeling of textures and creases and the visual result that emerges, all offer excellent ways to practise mindfulness and relax the body and mind. The use of your hands stimulates areas of the brain, improving short-term memory. It offers a calming and relaxing effect by following a simple step-by-step process, which can be repeated and taught again and again, until success is achieved.  Students and staff got involved making paper cranes, paper boxes, butterflies and cats.

Victorian Careers Show Excursion

On Thursday May 16, Year 11 and 12 Work Related Skills students travelled to the Melbourne Showgrounds to attend the annual State Careers show. The event showcased a range of pathway and employment opportunities and included guest speakers across multiple seminars, tertiary organisation exhibits, post-secondary school work experiences, and a huge display from the Australian Defence Force. The students’ task was to collect resources and connect with as many industry people as they could to further their knowledge and education on possible future career pathways. Networking and knowledge are crucial in finding a strong career focus and students were strongly encouraged to start conversations and be open to possibilities both inside and outside their focus areas.

Part of the fun of these events is the free merchandise and opportunity to connect with other schools and our group made the most of this, along with the range of food vans. The benefits of these events are sometimes realised immediately for some students but for others can take time to resonate. Hopefully all students were able to take away some pearls of wisdom and/or some seeds of ideas that might flower into fruition in the future.

University Open Days 2024

Open Days provide an opportunity for students to:

• discover the feel or ‘vibe’ of a tertiary setting
• meet academics and current or past students
• ask specific questions – find out about international study opportunities, links between courses and the world of work or how many hours you’ll need to be on campus
• get a sense of the campus location and what your commute could be
• check out their facilities
• check out the clubs and societies

We recommend students from Years 10-12 attend Open Days every year to increase exposure to the wide variety of courses and universities. Attending an Open Day can help you clarify your goals and narrow down your dream course.

Please find attached a list of the Open Day dates for 2024 or visit our CCG Careers webpage HERE.

Open Days generally occur from the end of July through August. Many Open Days occur on Sundays so keep this in mind as you navigate work shifts or sporting or church commitments. Also, bear in mind some dates will double up between unis too, so check the dates carefully.

Questions? Please contact Mrs Bec Bromilow or Mrs Robyn Smith via email.

Open-Days-Victoria-2024

World Environment Day

World Environment Day is celebrated annually on 5 June and is a global platform for inspiring positive change. People from more than 150 countries participate in this United Nations international day, which celebrates environmental action and the power of governments, businesses, schools and individuals to create a more sustainable world. It has been led by the United Nations Environment Program since its inception in 1973.

The theme for this year’s  World Environment Day is 'Land restoration, desertification and drought resilience'.

At Christian College, we are supporting this movement and each of our campuses is hosting an activity during the week.

There will be tree planting at both Senior School and Surf Coast campuses, switching off lights in a more careful way at Bellarine, a Nude Food Day at Highton campus, and a recycle-reuse challenge as well as a plant care competition at Junior School.

We would encourage you to ask your child about the event and related activities at their campus, and what part they might be playing, and support this action. As a family, you may like to take on a challenge to make a change and reduce your household emissions.

You can find out more about World Environment Day at this website:  World Environment Day   Scroll down to ‘Highlights’ and ‘Explore World Environment Day events’ and you will see the Christian College events registered on the map of the world.

Seeking Christian College Company Members

Christian College Geelong is seeking expressions of interest from any parent or guardian interested in becoming a new Company Member.

Company Members play an important part in the governance structure and protection of the College. A number of positions on the Christian College Board are filled by company members, depending on the skillset required when vacancies arise, and it is the company members who have the responsibility of voting to pass any amendments to the Christian College constitution. Company members may also be eligible to sit on various committees involved in the governance of the College.

Whilst participating as a company member is not overly onerous, it needs to be pointed out that the position is voluntary and not remunerated in any way. Also, please understand an expression of interest does not guarantee automatic membership of the company.

If you have a heart for the College, and feel you would have the time to dedicate and an interest in this role, please contact the Company Secretary, Bernard Nicholls at b.nicholls@ccg.vic.edu.au. All expressions of interest must be submitted by COB Friday, August 2.

Camps, Sports and Excursion Funding

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. It is part of making Victoria the Education State and Government’s commitment to breaking the link between a student’s background and their outcomes.

CSEF will be provided by the Victorian Government to assist eligible families to cover the costs of school trips, camps and sporting activities.

If you hold a valid means-tested concession card (HCC) or are a temporary foster parent, you may be eligible for CSEF. 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 (Student Information, then 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

The closing date for applications is June 28.

 For more information about the fund visit www.education.vic.gov.au/csef

National Collection of Data on Students With a Disability

Every year, all schools in Australia participate in the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD). With data collected on the first Friday in August (August 5 this year), the NCCD process requires schools to identify information already available in the school about supports provided to students with disability.

These relate to legislative requirements under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and the Disability Standards for Education 2005, in line with the NCCD Guidelines.

Please see the attached NCCD Fact Sheet for more information.

NCCD Parent Fact Sheet

Reminder:  Generative AI Parent Webinar

A reminder to parents and members of our community that we will be offering an online parent webinar, delivered via Microsoft Teams, next Wednesday. It has been wonderful to see such strong parent interest via RSVP responses and questions submitted so far.

There is still time to register for this event. Further details about the event are listed below.

Event: Generative AI and School Parent Webinar
Format: Microsoft Teams online webinar
Date: Wednesday, June 12, 2024
Time: 6.30pm – 7.15pm

Topics likely to be explored in the webinar include:

• What is generative AI?
• What are the benefits, risks, and limitations of these tools?
• What is the College’s response to generative AI?
• What AI tools do students have access to at school?
• What are the College’s rules and guidelines for use of generative AI?
• How can I support my child with navigating this space ethically and safely?

Interested parents are encouraged to register for the event via the form link below, to help with planning. Parents can also indicate what information they feel would be most relevant to them as they complete this form.

Register for the parent webinar

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!