Surf Coast Term 1 Week 6

Lent: A Celebration of New Beginnings!

‘Tis the season of New Beginnings! Lent has arrived and we have begun joyfully celebrating with Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday activities around our campuses this week.

Lent is the period of time before Easter that focuses on preparing for and engaging with this wonderful celebration of Christ’s life, ministry, death and resurrection. In the same way that we spend a great deal of time getting ready for Christmas during Advent, Lent is the time to get ready for Easter. And, just like Christmas, families and communities also have their own Easter traditions, decorations, music, food and preferences. At Christian College we seek to make the most of this season for everyone in our community.

This year we are looking at ‘New Beginnings’ as our theme for Lent. We really want to celebrate the gift of God’s love, presence and grace in our midst every day. We know that through His life, death and resurrection Jesus has made a way for each and every one of us to begin a new beginning at any time. He also sets us an example of how we can offer people in our own lives new beginnings too. New beginnings of forgiveness, encouragement, positive thinking, truth telling, curiosity, forming new habits and identifying unhelpful ones. We rejoice in knowing that no matter where a person is in relation to their faith journey, regardless of the season of life a person may find themselves in and the challenges they may be facing, because of Christ’s life, death and resurrection God offers all of us new beginnings every day.

Surf Coast Campus Working Bee – A Community Effort

As the saying goes, many hands make light work, and this was certainly evident at our Surf Coast Campus Working Bee on Saturday morning. With tools in hand and a shared enthusiasm, families and staff came together, creating a vibrant atmosphere filled with energy and community spirit.

After a quick breakfast sausage, everyone got straight to work. Together, families painted, spread 50 metres of mulch, and planted new shrubs, making a significant contribution to the upkeep and beautification of our campus.

A heartfelt thank you to all the families and staff who generously gave up their weekend time to lend a hand. Days like this are more than just about physical work—they are a celebration of unity, cooperation, and shared commitment to our school community. We look forward to the next opportunity to come together and continue caring for our beautiful campus.

What’s Happening at Surf Coast?

This an up to date list of planned activities at Surf Coast Campus that you can use for planning purposes.  Please be aware that these dates are set early in the term and occasionally items may need to be cancelled or dates/times altered.  This itinerary is altered each week to reflect any changes – please check this list of events EVERY WEEK carefully when you read the weekly VINE newsletter.

TERM 1 2025

WEEK 7

Monday 10 Mar                      Labour Day Holiday – No Students required at school – Campus Closed

Tuesday 11 Mar                      Swimming Championships – More information to come – Selected Students Only

Tuesday 11 Mar                      Student Learning Conferences 3.30pm – 6pm

Wednesday 12 Mar                NAPLAN Writing – Year 3, 5 and 7 only

Thursday 13 Mar                    NAPLAN Reading – Year 3,5 and 7 only

Thursday 13 Mar                    Student Learning Conferences 3.30pm – 6pm

Friday 14 Mar                         Leaders Investiture Assembly commencing at 9am in the Stadium

                                                    Bible Presentation for those students who missed last week’s presentation-these students have been notified

Saturday 15 Mar                    Back Creek Farm – Open Day. Please see College Website for more information and to book

Bible Presentation

Today was a joyous occasion as we gathered to celebrate a significant milestone for our Year 2, Year 5, and new students. Our Year 2 students were presented with a Storybook Bible, while our Year 5 students received their College Bible. This special moment, shared in the presence of their families and friends, was a meaningful step in their faith journey.

These new Bibles will become an integral part of our students’ learning, supporting them in their Devotions and Christian Education lessons as they explore faith, reflect on scripture, and grow in their understanding of God’s love.

It was truly uplifting to see the joy and gratitude on the children’s faces as they accepted their Bibles, marking the beginning of a new chapter in their spiritual journey. We pray that these Bibles will serve as a cherished companion for each student, guiding them in their faith and shaping their hearts and minds in the years to come.

From The Chaplain: Shrove Tuesday

Hello everyone,

This Tuesday (4th), we celebrated Shrove Tuesday, also known as Pancake Day. Shrove Tuesday is the day before Lent begins, which is a 40-day period of fasting, prayer, focus, and self-examination in the lead up to Easter.

To ‘shrive’ or ‘shrove’, means to “present oneself for examination”, to look at who we are in an honest and vulnerable way. We don’t reflect on what we have been in the past, or who we would like to be, but we undertake a reality check of the present. We confess the good within us, and the things that need work, and through this honesty and reflection, we prepare ourselves to understand and appreciate the sacrifice that Jesus made at Easter. Shrove Tuesday is the gathering and stocktake of everything that we are and want to take on into the future, and the letting go of that which is unhelpful that we want to leave aside.

Part of the Shrove Tuesday celebration is the consumption of pancakes, which we got to do this week! Historically, tasty things like eggs, butter, milk, and sugar, all tasty, good things, were forbidden during the Lenten fast, and so they were removed from the house or used up before Lent began, and pancakes were a great way to do this. By removing these things, during the Lenten fast, people were able to focus their attention and time on Jesus’ sacrifice at Easter.

I look forward to celebrating Easter with you at the end of the term, but until then, let’s reflect, remember, and look towards the excitement that comes with Jesus!

Prep Literacy and Numeracy Session

On Monday afternoon the Prep teaching team, together with our Director of Teaching and Learning, Julie Shutie, welcomed families of our Prep children to participate in a Literacy and Numeracy session.

It was a great opportunity to discuss the explicit and structured approach we apply to the teaching of English and Maths and how the development of these skills progress throughout the year. We unpacked key components of our program and how our adaptive teaching caters for support and extension.

We delved into the world of our Phonemic Awareness program known as Heggerty, our spelling daily review, how our children utilise their book boxes, the reading and deconstruction of our rich texts, and the components of our writing sessions. We also spoke about our Maths lessons which include daily counting practice, including counting forwards, backwards and skip counting, our maths daily reviews, our vocabulary work, the use of explicit instruction, independent tasks and reflection time, including recapping key concepts taught.

The question session was a great opportunity for families to ask questions, allowing them to understand a little more about what a typical day of literacy and numeracy looks like for their Preps.

A big thank you to those families who were able to come along on the day!

Year 1

We kicked off our special Lenten journey by celebrating Shrove Tuesday with some delicious pancakes! After filling our tummies, we jumped into sport, full of energy and ready to go.

On Ash Wednesday, we took time to reflect and prepare our hearts for Lent. We learned more about the incredible miracles of Jesus, discovering how He showed love, kindness, and the power of God through His actions. As a reminder that God and Jesus are always watching over us and protecting us, we even drew small crosses on our hands—what a beautiful way to begin this important season.

We can’t wait for another week of learning, growing, and sharing God’s love together!

Until next time!

Year 2 – Surrounded by Books

This week, the Year 2 classes visited the school library for their regular session on Tuesday morning. Our wonderful librarian had organised to read the book ‘Our Country: Where History Happened’ by Mark Greenwood and Frané Lessac. This book connected beautifully with our growing knowledge of Australian history and allowed us to think more deeply about the life of William Buckley.

Once we finished reading and discussing the ideas in the book, students eagerly browsed the shelves to choose a new book to borrow. Once everyone had made their selection, the class settled into different areas of the library for quiet reading or drawing inspired by their books. Some students decided to lay on cushions, flipping through pages, while others sketched scenes from their chosen stories.

To conclude our session, the Year 2s were very excited to learn about the upcoming Easter Egg competition. Students were challenged to design an Easter egg that incorporated books somehow into their drawing. Excitement grew as talk of finalists and prizes filled their ears – it was wonderful to hear many different creative ideas discussed as we left the library and returned to our classrooms.

Year 3

It has been a wonderful beginning to our week, with many activities filling the days with opportunities for learning, fun and discovery.

To mark the beginning of the Lent period, a time when many believers withhold a certain food or activity to help prepare for the events of Easter, students were excited to get to enjoy pancakes for Shrove Tuesday.

As we conclude our lessons, delving in to Ancient Greece, students have demonstrated their knowledge and understanding through comparing Ancient Athens and Sparta and how both societies differed in the way they ran their communities. Students gave insightful responses to the question, ‘Would you prefer to live in Ancient Athens or Sparta?’ and demonstrated their ability to synthesise their knowledge from the wide range of tasks we have completed in relation to all the aspects of these fascinating civilisations.

Year 4 – Delving Deep Into our School Values

To start the year on a firm foundation, our Year 4 students have been closely examining our five school values: Love, Faith, Grace, Hope, and Trust. They have considered what a value is and how it can shape the way people live their lives.

In order to create a positive class community, we have learnt that having each person abide by the agreed values of the group is an important step. But how can we live out a value if we don’t have a deep understanding of it?

Therefore, we have spent time and energy over the past five weeks looking at each value in turn using the visible thinking routine Colour, Symbol, Image. This routine leads the students to deepen their understanding of a concept by examining it through visuals. By asking themselves which colour best expresses the value, creating a symbol that represents its meaning, and drawing an image (like a photo) that captures it being expressed, the students have developed a deep and authentic understanding of each value.

The benefit of this new and better understanding of our school values is that we now have a set of guidelines to determine the way we speak, act, and think in our classes. Students can be challenged to consider if their behaviour is in line with and promotes our values. We look forward to seeing how this important foundation continues to underpin our interactions in the coming days, weeks, and months.

Product Design – Woodwork and Systems Engineering – STEM

The students of Year 5T have embarked on creating and experimenting with Rube Goldberg machines (a chain reaction–type machine intentionally designed to perform a simple task in a complicated way.) Ask a Year 5 student what a Tower Twister, Anchor Yanker, and Slapper are. Using this equipment, along with marble runs, ramps, and dominoes the students have created some crazy contraptions to achieve simple tasks.

Both Year 6 and Year 7 Product Design – Woodwork students have been busily designing, cutting, and sanding their designs. Our Year 6 students paid a visit to our Prep students to find out all about them, their likes, hobbies and personalities. Over the remainder of the semester they will be creating a special gift for their Prep client.

Our Year 7 students have been working with dressed pine to create a perpetual calendar. It has been very encouraging to see the creativity and skills developing in the classroom. It is exciting to think of what they are capable of in the months ahead.

Year 7 Students Dive Into Megafauna Research

Our Year 7 students have been hard at work preparing for their term assessment in History, engaging in an exciting research project on Australia’s ancient past. As part of their learning journey, students explored the fascinating world of Megafauna, selecting a prehistoric giant from the Australian Museum website to investigate in depth.

Each student created a detailed, annotated diagram of their chosen megafauna, illustrating its physical features and adaptations while uncovering key information about its habitat, diet, and eventual extinction. This activity helped students develop essential research and analytical skills, laying the foundation for their upcoming assessment, where they will examine an artefact from Ancient Australian Civilisation.

To deepen their understanding, students have been exploring museum and educational websites to learn how artefacts provide insight into the daily lives, customs, and survival strategies of Australia’s ancient populations. By investigating these historical clues, students are gaining a richer appreciation of how the past shapes our understanding of Indigenous heritage and early human civilisation.

This hands-on approach to learning has sparked curiosity and enthusiasm in our Year 7 cohort, as they continue their journey into the history of Australia’s first inhabitants. We look forward to seeing their final projects and the insights they uncover!

Welcome to Art

We have been spending time drawing and encouraging our lower primary students to explore drawing outside of the Art room.

Drawing helps our students develop their creativity and imagination as they’re given the freedom to draw whatever they choose. It’s also a great mindfulness activity, strengthening their ability to concentrate as students tune out the world around them and focus on what they’re creating.

For our Preps drawing helps them improve their fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. It gives them the opportunity to form connections between what they see and do. As an activity, we had a circle challenge, where the students were encouraged to draw ovals and circles and connect these to form an animal shape. I was delighted with the results and watched some students’ self-esteem grow. This drawing activity was at times a little challenging, especially as our students were trying to create something realistic and intricate, it involved critical thinking and decision-making, because they had to figure out how to represent things in a simplified or stylised way.

Another point of note was the incorporation of visual communication: Before written or spoken language, humans used drawings (cave paintings, symbols) to communicate. Even today, visuals like diagrams, illustrations, or sketches play a key role in explaining complex ideas, particularly in education, business, or science. Wow all this from getting a pencil, pen, crayon or charcoal and giving drawing a go!

How Does Your Garden Grow?

Do you have any packets of seeds lying around in your shed?

Do you have any medium or large ceramic pots you no longer need? (No plastic pots thanks) If the answer is yes, please send them with your child to the kitchen garden at school as we would love to use them.

If you have any other gardening items that may be useful to our gardening club please send them along to Mr. T.

With the help of some of our wonderful Surf Coast families over the school holiday break, our garden is flourishing. Please come and visit the garden with your child when you have a chance, smell, taste and feel the many sensory plants.

CC Eagles Basketball and Netball 2025

Surfcoast Basketball Association

The Surfcoast Basketball Association (SBA) is committed to providing the opportunity for local basketball players to be involved in competitions which are enjoyable, safe and welcoming to their participants and members. Games are played on a Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday as per the below schedule.

The World’s Youngest Board Game Creator!

Mia Bond, a Year 3 student at Junior School-Belmont, has recently made waves with the launch of her board game Outfox. Not only has Mia become an overnight sensation with her game, but she has also earned the title of the World’s Youngest Board Game Creator!

Mia's journey into game design began when she was just 6 years old. Her game combines strategic thinking, concentration, and decision-making skills.

Over the past week, Mia has been busy, making headlines in the Geelong Advertiser and appearing on Channel 7’s Sunrise. She also had the exciting opportunity to attend the Melbourne Toy Fair, where Outfox was officially launched. The event was a thrilling experience for Mia and her family, with memorable moments including meeting representatives from Hasbro, VR, and connecting with other young creators.

After such an eventful week, Mia is excited to return to Junior School. No doubt, Outfox will continue to bring plenty of fun and focus to Year 3 in the weeks to come!

We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Mia and her family for this remarkable achievement and can’t wait to see what she accomplishes next!

If you would like to find out more about Outfox, visit this site: www.outfoxthegame.com.au

A Vital Partnership in Supporting Students

When schools and families work together in genuine partnership to support children and young people, the entire learning community benefits and our College is committed to working alongside you to ensure your child feels safe, supported, and empowered to flourish. I understand that today’s children and young people are growing up in a complex and rapidly changing world, and I am sure that as parents, at times it can be difficult to know how best to support them, particularly when the challenges they face today look so different from those we may have experienced ourselves. By way of support to you in this important role, I have included information below about some upcoming workshops and websites that may assist you in guiding and nurturing your child’s wellbeing:

College Open Day

Our College Open Day earlier this week was a wonderful opportunity for prospective families to experience the vibrant learning communities across each of our five campuses.

With guided tours, visits to classroom lessons in action, and insightful conversations with staff and students, families gained a firsthand look at the diverse programs and supportive community that define our College.

We were delighted to welcome so many prospective students and their families and are incredibly grateful for the efforts of our students, teachers, and professional support staff in making the day a resounding success.

Our next Open Day is on Thursday, May 8 and we look forward to once again meeting many new families who are considering Christian College as the ideal learning environment for their children.

Staff Professional Growth at CCG in 2025

At CCG, we are committed to fostering a culture of professional growth, ensuring our teachers continually develop their skills to enhance student learning. This year, three of our teachers are participating in the prestigious Victorian Teaching Excellence Program (TEP)—Victoria Corkin from the Middle School Highton campus along with Sharon Huber and Hayley Keogh from our Bellarine campus. This year-long program supports highly skilled teachers in deepening their pedagogical expertise, engaging with cutting-edge educational research, and refining their practice through inquiry-based learning. Since 2022, 10 of our teachers have taken part in this groundbreaking initiative, demonstrating our staff’s commitment to excellence in teaching.

Further to this, all Christian College staff engage in an annual Professional Growth Program, setting individual goals to enhance student learning and reflect on student data to continually refine their teaching practice.

Additionally, staff continue to expand their expertise through training days and internal workshops. A key focus this year has been Youth Mental Health First Aid, with 50 staff members undertaking a two-day accredited training led by our Director of Wellbeing, Kim Doherty. This important initiative will extend to our wider community, with parents invited to participate in a free training course in Term 4, invitations and dates will be sent out in late Term 3.

By investing in our teachers, we are investing in the future of our students, ensuring they receive the highest quality education possible.

International Women’s Day breakfast

Staff and students from across the Christian College campuses, as well as many other CCG community members, attended the Senior Campus this morning for the traditional International Women’s Day breakfast. Participants enjoyed the opportunity to meet together to share breakfast, celebrate the day and to hear from two inspiring guest speakers.

Firstly, the assembled crowd heard from Bron Lawson, who is a passionate music educator, and a founding member of the not-for-profit Bluebird Foundation. At Bluebird House, a variety of arts workshops are held, whilst out in the broader Geelong Community, the Foundation delivers creative programmes to all ages and particularly to vulnerable members of the community.  Bron’s enthusiasm for her work in using the creative arts to empower others and create change in people’s lives was inspiring to all.

Building Resilience Through Camps and the Outdoors

A well-structured camps program from Prep to Year 12 plays a vital role in developing essential life skills, fostering resilience, and creating lasting memories. At Christian College, our camps program is carefully designed to align with students’ social, emotional, and cognitive development, evolving from early primary years to complex ethical, cultural, and curriculum-linked experiences in secondary school. Our commitment to continuous review ensures the program remains relevant to the changing needs of our students.

In the early years, day camps in Prep and Year 1 introduce self-management and problem-solving skills in a supportive environment, free from the challenges of overnight stays. By Year 2, students are ready for their first overnight camp, with a focus on resilience, relationship-building, and environmental connections. Camp Wilkin in Anglesea provides an ideal setting for age-appropriate challenges that encourage social interaction and an appreciation of the natural world.

From Years 3 to 7, camps foster teamwork, independence, and relationship-building, strengthening trust between students and teachers beyond the classroom. Experiences such as the Year 6 Angahook camp enhance collaboration and communication through activities like orienteering and canoeing. At Cave Hill Creek, located at the foot of the Grampians, Year 7 students are encouraged to step outside their comfort zones with activities such as abseiling, which helps build confidence, resilience, and personal growth. These experiences reinforce essential life skills that carry over into the classroom.

Final Week for Donations of old Uniform

The start of this year saw the time frame for the wearing of the previous College Uniform come to a close. We are now pleased to see all students wearing the new College wardrobe that was first introduced and offered in 2022.

We want to let you know that the College is accepting any outdated pieces of uniform that you may have at home that remain in good condition. We will seek to donate pieces to East Timor where we can and recycle what we cannot donate for use in the textile trade through local recycling centres. When recycled these uniforms can go on to have new beginnings as new clothing, insulation, rags, stuffing for toys, furniture, cushions and toys, they can even be used to create materials like packaging and signage.

Please deposit your clean outdated uniform pieces to your campus reception for collection. This initiative finishes at the end of term, so next week is the final week to donate.  

I also want to take this opportunity to invite interest from students and parents who would like to serve the College as part of the Uniform Committee. This Committee meets once a term to review the uniform (inclusive of all departments of the College) and the associated approval and consideration of processes, procedures and possibilities. This Committee ideally includes staff, parent and student representatives from each of our College sites including our wonderful Kindergartens (Williams House and Butterfield House), Back Creek Farm and Villa Paloma Arts Centre. If you are interested in serving on this committee, please let me know and I will be in touch as we begin to reorganise this committee for the future. I can be reached at m.kafieris@ccg.vic.edu.au

Cross-Campus Vocal Evening

Voices to Celebrate! From Years 2 to 12!

The Christian College Music Faculty held their first Cross-Campus Vocal Evening for 2025 on Thursday this week in the RW Gibson Music Performance Centre at the Senior Campus.

Vocal students from years 2-12 and from all 5 campuses performed solos accompanied by Regina Thomae, Kym Dillon, Tammy Treloar and Brad Treloar.

Our voice teachers Jacinta Burns, Brad Treloar, Tania Grant and I are all very proud of the student performers and look forward to the growth in musicianship and confidence that will no doubt flow on from the experience of singing for an audience of their families, friends and peers.

Congratulations to our performers from Thursday night, not only did they sing beautifully but they were also wonderful support for each other, cheering each other to be courageous and ‘take the mic’! Please enjoy some of the ‘snap shots’ from the program.

Following on from this performance opportunity the music faculty will also be holding string, brass, woodwind and piano cross-campus evenings throughout the remainder of Term 1.

Treasure Island Update 

Rehearsals have begun for the Middle Years Play ‘Treasure Island’ which will be staged in the Bellarine Campus auditorium in May. Around 40 Year 5-9 students drawn from Surf Coast, Bellarine and Highton campuses have been excitedly practising their ‘yo ho hos’ and working on their pirate skills to bring this beloved Robert Louis Stevenson story to life. Last Sunday the whole cast gathered at the Bellarine campus to begin blocking the scenes and exploring their characters under the direction of Drama staff Kelly Clifford and Taylah Broad.

Save the Date - and Stay Tuned!

The play will be staged from 23-24 May with four shows to choose from and tickets will be available for purchase later in this term. Keep an eye on The Vine and the Christian College social media pages for details of performance times and ticketing information.

Hot Cross Buns are Coming!

There’s nothing better than a hot cross bun with crispy edges, melted butter and good friends and family to share them with!

With the season of Lent and celebration of Easter fast approaching Christian College is delighted to announce that we are partnering with our local Baker’s Delight to bring hot cross buns to our community this year. This is an opportunity for you to purchase hot cross buns for your family, friends, as Easter gifts or cheekily for your freezer to enjoy all year long while also joining the Foundation in our fund-raising goals for this year.

The Christian College Foundation exists to raise funds to support students and families experiencing disadvantage and hardship. The Foundation also funds new initiatives which enhance the educational programs and offerings for current and future students.

March 15 – Come and Visit Back Creek

Discover – or Rediscover – the Year 9 Experience!

Christian College students and families – past and present – are warmly welcomed to visit Back Creek Farm tomorrow, March 15, as the gates open between 9:30am and 12:30pm. It’s a great opportunity for younger students and their families to catch a glimpse of the rural experience in store when they reach Year 9. It’s also a great opportunity for past students and their families wanting to revisit the farm, including those ex-students who’d love to show their own children Back Creek Farm. Guided tours of the property, morning tea and a sausage sizzle, will be available – lots to see and do for everyone. The event is free but if you’re coming and haven’t yet done so, please click here to book through Try Booking – and see you in Scotsburn tomorrow!

2025 Young Women in Aerospace and Defence

Young Women in Aerospace and Defence is a free four-day STEM program hosted by RMIT. It is open to girls in Years 7 to 12 and will run three times this year during the school holidays: April 7 – 10; July 7 – 10; and September 29 – October 2.

For more details, including how to apply, please read the brochure below.

Interested in Volunteering at CCG in 2025? 

Christian College appreciates the support provided by all volunteers. Around our campuses there is a range of activities in and out of the classroom where we are greatly assisted by parent/guardian volunteers. Many of the College’s programs would not exist or continue without their support. 

Our College community relies upon the skills that each volunteer can provide. Staff at each campus will communicate the different opportunities open to parent/guardian volunteers, such as excursions, camps and other events. 

To engage with us as a parent/guardian volunteer, you will need a current Working With Children Check (these are valid for five years). To ensure all volunteers are aware of, and agree to, the conditions of working as a volunteer, Christian College requires each volunteer to sign this agreement prior to commencing work. A new completed form is required each school year.  

Click on this link to download a Parent Volunteer Agreement form. Once downloaded, it can be completed electronically, including a digital signature, and then uploaded using the button provided.