From the Acting Head of Campus
We have recently been embedding an Ethos of Learning within our senior campus. As we head towards the end of Term 3 it is important to know learning is more than just a collection of books, classrooms, and assignments, education is a dynamic force that shapes us as individuals and as a society. The ethos of learning encompasses the values and principles that guide our pursuit of knowledge, and it’s a concept we should all embrace with open hearts and open minds.
This week I had the privilege to witness many impressive learning outcomes produced by our students in the Year 11 Ethos of Learning assembly. In these assemblies’ students present their learning journeys on a task to their peers. The courage and dedication to present to their peers is exceptional and this week we heard from students with experiences in Outdoor Ed, Music and Japanese.
During the week I also had the privilege of attending “Carmina Burana” presented by Iona College where many of our Senior music students from the choir and the percussion section of the Wind Symphony performed a variety of pieces. The professionalism, talent and teamwork of all students involved was a sight to see. Our choir performed “Homeward bound” and “You will be found” which captivated the audience. The finale of the night saw all schools involved during the evening performing “Carmina Burana” accompanied by our very own CCG Percussion section of the Wind Symphony. This was absolutely exhilarating and one all our students and families should be proud of. The ethos of learning recognises that our peers are invaluable resources for growth, and this was so evident in this performance. Well done to our music faculty for your guidance and all students involved.
Student Learning Conferences feedback
Thank you to all families who were involved in the Student Learning Conferences held on Thursday. Thank you for strengthening the partnership with our teachers and the College to assist your child’s learning journey. If you have any feedback regarding these conferences please don’t hesitate to make contact.
Upcoming Events:
Week 8
Tuesday Sept 5 Wearable Art Lunchtime Preparation
Thursday Sept 7 Wearable Art Lunchtime Preparation
Friday Sept 8 Year 12 Assembly
House Cross Country
Week 9
Tuesday Sept 12 Wearable Art Lunchtime Preparation
Thursday Sept 14 RU OK Day
Wearable Art Lunchtime Preparation
Friday Sept 15 Wearable Art Parade
Last day of Term. 2:30 Dismissal.
Drew Oliver, Acting Head of Campus
Book Week in the Library
Last week during Book Week the library held a poetry writing competition. Students were asked to write a poem or short paragraph about something or someone that has inspired them. We received over 15 entries, all from Year 10 students. There were some beautiful entries, students shared stories of inspiration, ranging from their favourite author, their favourite novel, times spent with their dad, how God has inspired them and how their friends make them feel.
The library staff, together with Mr. Oliver selected two winning entries. 1st prize went to Bee Chugh, Year 10 T2. Congratulations Bee, enjoy your $15 Dymocks voucher. 2nd prize went to Ezekiel Lamborne, Year 10 T2. Congratulations, enjoy your grass head kit. Watch it grow and continue to be inspired by the world around you. Thank you to all that entered.
1st Place – Inspiration
Inspiration seeps through my skin
I find it in the spring flowers that bloom as the birds nestle in their plume
I hear it in the crisp crunch of Autumn leaves
When the trees shed their sleeves
I feel it in the cold winter air that braids my hair
I feel it in the sweet summer perfumes that are frequently used
In the meadows I watch as it dances around
In the brooks it swims, splashing about
If not for inspiration I fear the world may be a dull and dreadful place full of dismay
I hope to one day sprout seeds of inspiration my own,
To water and care for them until they flower and grow
By Bee Chugh
2nd Place – Inspiration by David Goggins
Rain, snow and lightning
Winning comes with fighting
When you link to finish
I am just beginning
It’s the hard and tough times
That put people in their prime
Through ease they diminish
Tough people make life flow like a rhyme
You and me are not the same
Your life is easy and tame
You live a life of niche
That’s why I come
By Ezekiel Lamborne
Labrini Soldatos
Senior School House Cross Country
The House Cross Country Championships for Year 10 – 12 will be held on the Senior School campus on Friday 8th of September. The Cross Country program has been developed to increase participation and minimise class disruptions. Cross country will take place for all students between 12:30-1:40pm, all 6 period classes will run on a modified schedule.
Christian College believes participation in House competition is an integral part of its sport program. The Cross Country event forms part of the College’s promotion of exercise for student wellbeing, to benefit both physical and mental health. We will be presenting to students over the coming week on the positive impacts of exercise on managing stress, improving emotional wellbeing, keeping a healthy headspace and cardiovascular benefits.
All students will participate in the 3km race. At most, the 3km run involves 25 minutes of moderate exercise. If your child is ill or injured, please ensure that a note which sets out the details of the illness or injury and what level of participation should occur, is to be emailed to the student office at least 24 hours before the event.
Information:
- First, second & third place getters of Year 10 –12 races will receive a medallion.
- Uniform: All students are to wear their full sport uniform with house polo shirt.
- Parents are welcome to attend. Please sign in at the front office upon arrival.
- Water: it is expected that all students will bring a full drink bottle.
- Note: if weather does not allow for Cross Country, a normal Friday timetable will occur.
- Medical: Students with medical needs are required to bring their own medication, such as Ventolin. If your child’s medical condition has altered since completing the medical form at the beginning of the school year, please inform the front office of this in writing.
- First aid: First aid stations will be set up around and at the end of the course (see photo for map of event)
Thank you for your support of our house program.
Further information
- Awards to be recognised on the day:
- Fastest on Campus (Male and Female)
- Year Level Champion (1st, 2nd and 3rd, Male and Female)
- House Champion (if time allows)
Andrew Tucker
Sports Aerobics Team – State Finals Results
Our senior school Sports Aerobics team has been training and competing throughout the entire year on a Monday and Friday at lunchtime. This dedication earned them a second place at the state finals, as well as the opportunity to compete at Nationals in Queensland on Saturday 9th December. We wish Ali Cronk, Abbey Hodgson, Morgan Seach, Isabella Benson and Eva Milentijevic the very best at the competition!
Tracy Dawson
Year 10 Law and Economics
This term, the Law and Eco class has researched, discussed, debated and disagreed on the Australian Constitution and the upcoming Referendum.
Students have written persuasive pieces, trying to convince others to support their contention.
The conclusions of three of the strongest pieces in each category are below.
First up is “The Case for Yes”, followed by “The Case for No” and finally, “It’s time to re-write the Constitution.” All three pieces included extensive Bibliographies.
The case for yes:
Ultimately, voting yes is acknowledging the culture and history in Australia before colonisers arrived. Voting yes enables us to help the Indigenous community, the government now is not capable of doing that on their own, voting yes empowers Indigenous people to help themselves. Voting yes is not falling for the No campaign’s deceit and lies. You, voting yes will change the lives of countless people.
Anonymous
The case for no:
The Voice to Parliament referendum presents a complex issue that requires careful consideration. As Australians prepare to vote, it is important to recognise the lack of information, the possibility of national divide, and the potential risks involved with the proposed Indigenous advisory council. By voting no, Australians can point out the significance of transparency, unity, and smart decision-making while still acknowledging the need to address the concerns and aims of Indigenous communities within the present democratic system. We all want to help Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, but the Voice to Parliament is not the right way to reconcile.
Zoe Johnson
It’s time to re-write the constitution:
Isn’t it time to start rebuilding from the ground up? As one connected, communal, celebrated nation? A rewritten national rule book will bring us together, highlight and celebrate our differences, and allow us to join together as Australians for a brighter future. These changes will not just affect and further improve our lives. The least we could do for our children, grandchildren and their children is fight to create an inclusive, relevant, and understandable Constitution for the future of our great country. The Constitution as it is, is discriminatory, incorrect, and irrelevant. The Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act 1900 must be rewritten, now.
Bella Lynch
Lee Stringer
Careers Newsletter
Topics this week include:
YEAR 12 STUDENTS
- Tertiary applications – resources, support, key dates, and reminders
- Exam preparation lectures
- $10,000 UNSW Advantage Award
- University and TAFE scholarships
- University campus tours running during the term break
YEAR 9 & 10 STUDENTS
- Agriculture science program at the University of Melbourne (Dookie campus)
- Science experience program at the University of Melbourne
YEAR 11 STUDENTS
- Planning to study medicine, dentistry or oral health in the future?
ALL STUDENTS
- Amazing engineering courses and programs
- Careers with STEM articles
- Would you like to become a psychologist?
- Job seeking tips and resources
- Start your own business!
- Careers in rural medicine podcast
- Apprenticeships and traineeships
- The Good Universities Guide – compare university ratings
- Exciting summer schools
- Upcoming career events
Please download the Career Newsletters via this link
Robyn Smith
One for All and All for One!
“This world is an uncertain realm, filled with danger. Honor undermined by the pursuit of power, freedom sacrificed when the weak are oppressed by the strong. But there are those who oppose these powerful forces, who dedicate their lives to truth, honour, and freedom. These men are known as Musketeers. Rise, D'Artagnan, and join them.”
Alexandrea Durmas – The Three Musketeers, 1844
For many there’s nothing better than a dress up, for others they can think of nothing worse! Last week’s Book Week celebrations saw literary characters of every kind arrive at school across our Junior and Middle School campuses in a flurry of colour, face paint, excitement and joy.
It was my pleasure to be one of ‘The Three Musketeers’ alongside our Acting Principal Mr Rick Geall and our Head of Wellbeing Mrs Kim Doherty for Book Week and to deliver a devotions together about the significance of teamwork.
We live in an incredibly entitled individualistic society. Individuality can often be very healthy, it allows for good differentiation and boundaries in relationships and ensures that each person can be who God has made them to be without being squished, manipulated or conformed into being someone else. Individualism however is often very unhealthy. Cultures marked by individualism often organise themselves according to hierarchies of dominance – people compete to be better than others rather than be better than themselves, resources are stockpiled by the few rather than amongst the many. So often in these cultures people demand that the needs, rights and expressions of each individual must be met by the greater collective of other individuals at the expense of the community’s wellbeing, growth, healing, safety or wholeness. In these cultures you’re likely to hear phrases like “You can’t tell me, you can’t make me, it’s my right to, I’m entitled to, I don’t care what you think or feel etc” In these communities people are enculturated to think only for and about themselves. As you can imagine, individualism in a community often results in people experiencing greater stress, less social support and relationships of convenience. People in communities that perpetuate individualism are less likely to help others or engage in charity/community service, the irony is they are also less likely to seek help for themselves when they need it. What begins as individualism often results in a lack of resilience, self-esteem, self-awareness as well as competition and isolation. Individualism is more of an “the world owes me something and I deserve it” epitaph rather than the Musketeer’s cry of “All for One and One for All”. The bible’s response is quite clear in asserting that a community, like a body, is made of many individual parts that are distinct in purpose, function and appearance but ultimately useless without the other parts that come together to form the whole. You can read more about this in the book of 1 Corinthians chapter 12. It is a powerful passage of scripture that validates each and every person for the fearfully and wonderfully made human they are while dignifying them and their unique differences as an essential part of the whole. Thankfully our community at Christian College is modelled upon scriptures like this and is much more akin to the biblical and Musketeer perspective rather than the “me first” world of individualism.
Our community safeguards a person’s individuality without damaging the whole by elevating or idolising one individual over another. We advocate for community. For shared unity. For the help, wholeness, health and life in abundance we can bring to each other through the practice of our College values; Faith, Hope, Love, Grace and Truth. We are Musketeers, we are parts of the body of Christ, we are teammates; Staff, Students, Parents and Families working together with the sustaining presence and power of a loving God.
One for All and All for One!
Mia Kafieris, Dean of Christian Culture
Sport News
Suzanna Mavromihalis (10F1) competed in the Australian National Cross-Country Championships as a member of the Victorian Team in Canberra last weekend. After a strong run in a quality field, Suzanna finished 21st out of 59 girls in her age group and was the 5th fastest Victorian girl overall. She was very happy with this performance, as she was hoping for top 30. Suzanna is already training and aiming to make this State team again in 2024. We congratulate her on this brilliant performance and wish her all the very best in achieving her future goals.
Ashton Schram (9R) was selected in the State U16 Hockey team that played at the School Sport Australia National Championships in Adelaide. The Vic team made the play-off match for the bronze medal, with the match providing an exciting ‘goal for goal’ spectacle before going down 4-3 to South Australia. As a result of a successful year with this State team, and earlier with the Vic U15 team, Ashton has been selected for the Melbourne under 16 ‘Futures Team’ that will be playing several games interstate over the next few months. The college wishes Ashton all the very best with this next stage of his career.
Our College soccer teams competed in the GISSA Championships throughout August, with some very competitive results. Our Inter Girls team won their Championships play-off match in a penalty shoot-out against Kardinia IC. After winning all their ‘Pool’ matches, they faced their traditional rival for the Title, which was 2-2 at full time. It was CCG’s sixth penalty taker (Evy Nobel) who kicked truly to give the team the win after penalties were locked at 4 all. Our Senior and Inter Boys teams competed brilliantly on their respective Championship days. In what was a first for the college, we fielded two senior teams, which is a credit to our Year 11 & 12 cohort and the coaching staff. The Senior 1 team and the Inter team qualified for their respective Championship play-off match against Kardinia IC. Both teams lost narrowly to their archrival but showed tremendous skill and strong character in two hard fought Championship matches. The Senior girls team enjoyed representing the college on their Championship day and competed very well in their respective matches across the day to finish in the 3rd v 4th play-off and drawing this match against Covenant College after full time.
We wish to acknowledge and thank our coaching staff: Mike Neaves, Andrew Groves, Louise Bull, Andrew Tucker, and George Elliss on their time and effort in preparing our teams and providing quality coaching on the day. Their valuable input with our college soccer program is greatly appreciated, and we look forward to students enjoying their coaching efforts and playing the ‘world game’ for our college in the future.
Andrew Richardson, Head of Sport
The Christian College Sport Hall of Honour
We are proud to announce a new initiative, which will become an important tradition in the life of our College – the Sport Hall of Honour – to recognise and celebrate the outstanding achievements of our past students who have reached national or international status in their chosen sports.
On October 5, we welcome our inaugural inductees to the Sport Hall of Honour – ex-students, Gary Ablett Jr and Tegan Philip. Both are universally recognised as champions at the highest level in their respective sports – AFL football and netball.
You are invited to join us for this gala dinner event at Mt Duneed Estate. On the night, we will also honour a cohort of current students as ‘Rising Eagles’ for their outstanding achievements in their chosen sports, putting them on a pathway to perhaps achieve the type of success required to enter our Sport Hall of Honour in future years.
The night also presents the perfect opportunity to award, for the first time ever, the ‘Gary Ablett Jr’ and ‘Tegan Philip’ medals to the students named as MVP of our Senior Male Football team and Senior Female Netball team from this year’s GISSA Championships.
For more information and to purchase tickets to the October 5 event, please visit our website.
The Hall of Honour will be a permanent display within our school, displaying the names, images and achievements of our extraordinary sports stars. This will not only inspire our current students but also serve as a testament to the values and dedication instilled within them during their time at Christian College.
We encourage our College community to join us in celebrating those who have pursued their gifts and passions to an extraordinary level of success. While one of the criteria for induction to the Sport Hall of Honour is that individuals have retired from their sport professionally or at the very highest level, if you are aware of any past students who have achieved, or are achieving, national or international recognition in sport, please reach out to our Sports Administrator Matthew Murnane [email protected] with any relevant information.
Daryl Riddle OAM, CEO of Christian College
Scholarship Applications are Now Open!
Each year Christian College offers Academic Excellence Scholarships for entry at Year 5, 7 and 10 levels. Applications are now open for this year’s scholarships, which apply to entry in 2025, at three campuses – Middle School-Highton, Bellarine Campus and Surf Coast Campus.
Year 10 entry applies to Senior School-Waurn Ponds only.
To find out more, and to apply, visit our website and look for the homepage hotlink, or click here.
Scholarship applications are open to students who do not currently attend Christian College, as well as those who are currently enrolled here. Scholarship examinations will be held at Christian College on Saturday October 7. Closing date for applications is Thursday, September 28.
Foundation Golf Day 2023
Following the success of last year’s inaugural event, we are delighted to announce the Christian College Foundation Golf Day tournament for 2023.
Save the date: Thursday November 9.
We are seeking prizes for this event – if you own a local business and are interested in creating partnership opportunities with Christian College, please contact Fiona Provan on 0400 477 467, or email [email protected]
Uniform Shop Clearance Sale!
