Senior School Term 3 Week 9

From the Executive Principal

What a wonderful way to finish this term. It was such joy to see our Surf Coast debaters retain their undefeated winning streak, talking to Year 8 students at Bellarine about their podcasting strategies or sitting on the carpet with Prep students as they learn to master phonics. I loved seeing our students connecting so beautifully with our friends from Finke and Alcoota, and hearing how music created lasting bonds for students at the Middle School Music Camp. And then, we finished the week with Talent Quest at Middle School and Wearable Art at Senior School. I continue to marvel at all the wonderful community-building traditions we have at Christian College Geelong, and there are more to look forward to in Term 4, including the induction of Jakara Anthony to our Sport Hall of Honour, our Annual Music Evening and the various campus Art Shows. Such a great community to be part of! 

I wish all of our families and friends a wonderful holiday break and look forward to seeing everyone back at school for the final term of the year on Tuesday October 7. 

From the Head of Campus

Wishing all our Senior School students and families a restful and rejuvenating break over the holidays. I know our Year 12s and Year 11 students completing a Unit 3/4 subject will remain focused on preparing for their upcoming VCAA examinations. I encourage these students to keep to a regular schedule and utilise effective study skills and revision techniques to maximise their preparation time. An interesting article in The Age newspaper this week, drew a link between the number of practice questions completed by a student and their eventual study score in that subject. Completing as many practice questions as possible, carefully correcting and then learning from the corrections through reflection and targeted revision, is a very sound approach.

Introducing the 2026 prefects

We are proud to announce the appointment of our 2026 College and House Prefects. These students have demonstrated remarkable enthusiasm, dedication and leadership qualities to make them ideal candidates to guide our community next year.

We are excited about what they will bring to this campus, beginning with their very important role as friendly and welcoming faces for our 2026 Year 10s during Orientation Day next term!

What’s Happening at Senior School

Key Calendar Dates for the Year 

Please see below an outline of some key calendar dates for the year that may assist you with your planning. 

Friday, September 19 – House Wearable Art 

Friday, September 19 – Term finishes at 2.30pm 

Wednesday, 1 to Friday 3 October – Unit 3/4 Practice Exams at School 

Monday, October 6 – Staff Commence on campus 

Tuesday, October 7 – Term 4 Commencement Service for students 

Wednesday, October 8 – 2025 Prefects Afternoon Tea – 4pm 

Thursday, October 9 – House Basketball  

Thursday, October 9 – Year 10 PE RYDA drive safety session 9-2pm 

Friday, October 17 – Royal Geelong Show Public Holiday – No students or staff 

Staff vs Students Basketball – R U OK? Week

As part of R U OK? Week, Year 12 VM students, Jake Cooper, Xavier Downes and William Gordon organised a Staff v Students basketball game. Their goal was to get people together, have some fun and raise awareness about checking in on one another.

The game itself was full of energy. The staff came out strong, holding their own early and even looking like they might cause an upset. But as the game wore on, the pace and stamina of the students proved too much. A few staff injuries (including mine!) didn’t help our chances either and the Year 12s ran away with the win in the second half.

Of course, there was plenty of friendly banter along the way and the students seemed to enjoy taking on their teachers.

At the end of the day, awards went to James Hayden (Year 12) for being the most encouraging player on court and to Mr Fanning, who was voted MVP.

It was a great way to bring the school together, with plenty of laughs, competition and community spirit.

VCE Unit 4 Music Studies Showcase Evening

Congratulations to the students for a wonderful presentation at the RW Gibson Centre on Thursday this week. The students of the Unit 3 & 4 Music Studies performed and presented their work to family, friends and staff on a wonderful evening of musical celebration.

Studying VCE Music sees our students being mentored, inspired, and studying in collaboration with a team of staff who are invested in their individual development. The students as artists have the opportunity to collaborate with a range of highly skilled expert music teachers who possess a broad range of skills.

Some facts and figures – what’s gone before the showcase in order for the students to prepare and develop their performances – with over 20 performers on the program, and 30 instances of Unit 3 and 4 Music being studied each week across four studies – they will have collectively, up to the end of Term 3 undertaken at least 700 instrumental lessons, weekly routines of 5 periods a week of study per subject, which include accompaniment and ensemble rehearsals, concert classes, research, analysis, arranging, composing and hours of individual practice. If you put all of the repertoire being prepared for end of year performance exams and externally assessed tasks end on end, there is more than 8 hours of music with no breaks!

Wearable Art

This year students were presented with a brief, where our houses were challenged to make an outfit based on their team colours, inspired by the French Impressionism exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV). Each house team was required to modify a white lab coat and clear umbrella using recycled materials, with innovative designs specifically relating to Van Gogh’s Sunflowers or Starry Night artworks and Monet’s Poppy Fields or Waterlilies paintings.

Collaboratively, house teams each met on different lunchtimes last week over some hot chips with Mr Sobey for planning sessions to get their creative juices flowing. Together students came up with inspirational designs using whatever materials they could find to prepare for their construction challenge over five lunchtimes. It’s been great to see these designs come alive in such a short timeframe.

It was a fantastic event – thank you to all students who contributed on both fashion and music fronts. Thank you also to the judges and congratulations to Burrows who took the honours for 2025!

The Gordon’s Hospitality and Tourism Jobs Expo

The Gordon is excited to welcome students to the Hospitality and Tourism Jobs Expo – a fantastic opportunity to explore exciting career paths and meet top employers in the Geelong region.

This isn’t your average careers expo! You can meet leading employers, training organisations and
support services across the Geelong region and explore fantastic opportunities in the dynamic
Hospitality and Tourism industry. Whether students are seeking a summer job or aiming for a
rewarding career, this free event is for you!

Event Details:

• Date: Monday October 13  
• Time: 11:00am – 2:00pm
• Location: The Gordon City Campus, 2 Fenwick St 

VTAC Deadlines Extended

Important Information for Year 12 Students and Families!

In response to student feedback and to support a smooth transition to the new VTAC application portal, the deadlines for both Timely Course Applications and SEAS (Special Entry Access Scheme) Applications have been extended.

New Deadlines:

• Timely Course Applications – now close at 5:00pm, Wednesday October 1
• Equity Schemes (SEAS) & Scholarship Applications – now close at 5:00pm, Monday October 13

We encourage all students considering tertiary study in 2026 to take advantage of these extended deadlines.

The 2025 Sport Hall of Honour Event

We are delighted to announce that our second Sport Hall of Honour event is on next month, where we will induct Olympic Gold Medallist and CCG alumnus, Jakara Anthony. Jakara is the third inductee into the Hall of Honour, joining 2023 inductees Gary Ablett Junior and Teagan Phillip.

Since graduating from Christian College in 2016. Jakara has gone on to become an Australian freestyle skier and Olympic gold medallist. Jakara was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in the 2022 Queen’s Birthday Honours for service to sport as a gold medallist in the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games.

Jakara is taking time out of her Olympic preparation training to come back to the College to receive this honour. In addition to celebrating Jakara’s journey, there will also be a number of current students who will receive awards including the following:

• Rising Eagle Award (students competing at a national level of their chosen sport).
• CCG Eagles Team of the Year
• Jakara Anthony Medal

Come along and hear about Jakara’s inspirational journey and what she plans to achieve next.

The date is October 20 and the evening runs from 6pm to 8pm at Rydges Geelong on the corner of Myers and Gheringhap Streets (enter via Myers St). If you’d like to join us, visit our webpage here, or access it via the hotlink on our homepage, for more information and to purchase tickets, which are priced at $35 per head. Light finger food will be provided and drinks can be purchased at the bar.

Come and join us for a very special event where we recognise the remarkable feats of one of our graduates, as well as current students who are also achieving great things in sport!

Geelong Summer Music Camp Jan 11 -16, 2026

A Day Camp for Music Students aged 10 – 21 years

Christian College Geelong is proud to once again be hosting the Geelong Summer Music Camp at the Senior Campus in January 2026. The GSMC committee are excited to have registrations now open for the January 2026 Camp.

If you have a budding band, choir or string musician in your house, or you are involved in a school or community music program, please encourage students aged 10 – 21 years to consider attending.

The camp highlights:
The GSMC is a friendly, welcoming, and inclusive day camp. Students will play in a concert band, string orchestra, or sing in a choir throughout the week and then feature in a finale concert at Costa Hall.

Campers will also have the opportunity to choose an elective activity. The camp builds social time into its program where students are encouraged to connect with others, developing positive friendships and relationships with other campers and staff. Auditions at the start of the camp are designed as a time for the students to connect with the music tutors, but also allow the tutors to place students into the ensemble that best suits them, to set them up to have a rewarding week of growth and fun making music.

The Foundation Golf Day - Only 20 Places Left!

Calling golfers of all abilities! You are cordially invited to make a team and join us for a round of golf at the Christian College Foundation Golf Day on Friday October 17, 2025 at The Sands Torquay.  But be quick, only 20 spots remain! This event is proudly sponsored by AECS (Australian Environmental Cleaning Services).

It’s not only a great day to have fun and meet people, but also an important annual tournament to raise money for the Christian College Geelong Foundation that supports families in their greatest time of need by providing them with life-changing educational opportunities.

Set on a sleek and modern premium 18-hole championship golf course designed by Stuart Appleby, known for its challenging layout and coastal views, it’s characterised by undulating fairways, numerous bunkers, and a strong connection to its natural surroundings.

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 are plenty of prizes up for grabs, including a cash prize of $30,000. Score a Hole in One on a selected hole* and you can win.

You will also be treated to a delicious buffet lunch and learn more about the incredible work of the Christian College Foundation.

Academic Excellence Scholarships – Applications are Open!

Each year, Christian College offers a number of Academic Excellence Scholarships. These are open to both current Christian College students, and to students currently attending other schools. Please note, this year some key aspects of these scholarships have changed from previous years.

Scholarship applications are now invited from any student for entry at Years 5 to 11 – in 2026 or 2027. When applying, you will be asked to nominate which calendar year of entry to Christian College you are interested in.

If you are interested in applying for a scholarship entry in 2026, applications are open to students currently in Years 4 through to 10.

If you are interested in applying for a scholarship entry in 2027, applications are open to students currently in Years 3 through to 9.

Further details are available, and applications can be submitted, on our website. Click on the Scholarships hotlink on our homepage, or go directly to the page by clicking here.

Applications close at 5pm on Thursday 16 October.

Scholarship testing will be conducted at Christian College Geelong on Saturday 25 October.

Your Cookbook of Family Favourites – Calling for Recipes  

Dear Christian College Families,

Our names are Elisha Williams and Willow McInnes, and we are the Middle School-Highton campus Community Building and Outreach Prefects.

We are thrilled to share that we are introducing the Christian College Geelong cookbook, which will be an important fundraiser for the Christian College Foundation. All the proceeds from the cookbook will be donated to the Eternity Fund. By supporting this initiative you will be enabling, empowering, and changing the lives of young people from families who are experiencing hardship.

This will be a hardcover book which will include recipes from families and members of the Christian College Geelong community and will be titled, ‘Our Family Favourites’. If you have a special family recipe that you would like to share, we would love for you to contribute to the book. We encourage our community to contribute one favourite recipe.