Surf Coast Term 1 Week 7

From the Executive Principal

The Value of Progress Checks in Learning

This week and next week offer two important opportunities for us as a college community to pause and take stock of each student’s learning journey. With national NAPLAN tests taking place over these two weeks for our Year 3, 5, 7 and 9 students, and our Student Learning Conferences underway from Prep to Year 12, many families have been engaging in thoughtful conversations about growth, strengths, and the next steps in learning. These progress checks are not events that happen in isolation; rather, they form an important rhythm within a student’s school year, helping us to understand how each young person is travelling and how we can best support them.

NAPLAN got off to a rocky start this week for 1.3 million Australian school students across the country due to problems with the national testing platform. Luckily, we got things back on track quickly at our campuses. We know that NAPLAN provides a valuable snapshot of certain foundational skills, yet it is just one part of a much bigger picture. Learning is far more complex, rich, and continuous than any single test can capture. What NAPLAN does offer is another data point; another way of reflecting on where students are currently sitting in relation to national benchmarks. Combined with classroom assessments, teacher observations, and students’ own reflections, it becomes part of a broader story of growth.

Our Student Learning Conferences add an invaluable dimension to this picture. These conversations allow parents, carers and teachers to come together as partners in learning. They provide parents with a window into the learning that happens every day in classrooms, and they help teachers to better understand each student’s needs, motivations, and experiences.

What’s Happening at Surf Coast?

WEEK 8

Monday 16 March – NAPLAN Numeracy Test – Years 3, 5 & 7

Tuesday 17 March – Surf Coast Campus House Sand & Surf Carnival – Years 5 – 8

Tuesday 17 March – School of Back Then – Year 1

Tuesday 17 March – Japanese Incursion Day – Year 2 (change of date)

Tuesday 17 March – Strings Orchestras – Combined Middle School Campuses Orchestra Event

Wednesday 18 March – Cross Campus Instrumental Music Performance Night – Woodwind (Prep-Yr. 12 selected students)

Wednesday 18 March – NAPLAN Tests – Catch up – Years 3, 5, & 7

Our Amazing Learning in Year 1!

This week in Year 1 we have been busy learning many exciting things!

In Christian Education, we listened to the Bible story about Samuel. One night, Samuel was sleeping when he heard someone call his name. Samuel got out of bed and went to see Eli, thinking Eli had called him. This happened a few times before Eli realised that it was God calling Samuel. Eli told Samuel to say, “Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.” We talked about how Samuel listened carefully and trusted God. After learning the story, we made a special craft to help us remember Samuel getting out of bed to listen to God.

In Mathematics, we have been doing amazing work with numbers! We have been showing numbers in lots of different ways, such as using pictures, number lines, tens frames, and equations. We are becoming very confident mathematicians and love explaining our thinking to our classmates.

In Writing, we have been learning how to make our sentences more interesting. We practised writing statements, questions, and exclamations. We also worked on adding adjectives and adverbs to make our writing more exciting and descriptive. Our sentences are becoming clearer, more detailed, and fun to read!

Year 3 Update

Year 3 learners have been busy building key skills across several areas this term. Students have been preparing for NAPLAN by practising strategies for reading comprehension, refining their writing stamina, and developing confidence when responding to timed tasks. We have been so proud of how they have conducted themselves, even if feeling a little bit nervous.

In Mathematics, students have thoroughly enjoyed creating 3D shapes using matchsticks and blue-tak which has helped them to visualise edges, vertices, and faces as well as challenging themselves to create curved surface shapes.

We were also very excited for our new students to receive their very own Storybook Bibles at our Bible presentation service last Friday and have practised using them regularly in Christian Ed to explore the creation account in Genesis.

We wish all our learners success during NAPLAN and know they will give their best.

The Year 3 Team

Year 5s Showcase Natural Disaster Expertise

Our Year 5 students have thoroughly enjoyed their unit on land management and natural disasters. After researching all five disaster types, each student selected four to showcase on an individual poster. The classroom has been filled with creativity as they illustrated volcanic eruptions, floods, earthquakes, and cyclones. It has been wonderful seeing their engagement and pride in presenting their detailed, informative work.

Year 7 Update – A Brilliant Beginning to 2026

Our Year 7 students have launched into their first year of secondary school with enthusiasm, resilience, and plenty of smiles. It’s been a whirlwind start to the term, filled with new experiences, community-building activities, and opportunities to shine.

The year kicked off with an unforgettable adventure at Cave Hill Creek Camp, where students embraced the great outdoors, forged new friendships, and tackled challenges with courage and teamwork. Back at school, they continued to demonstrate their House pride and athletic spirit through both the Cross Country and Swimming Championships, cheering each other on and giving their very best.

In keeping with cherished school traditions, new students also received their Bible at our assembly, a meaningful milestone in their journey of learning and faith. And of course, no Term 1 would be complete without the delicious joy of Shrove Tuesday, where pancakes were flipped, shared, and enjoyed by all.

Year 8 History – ‘Vikings’

This week in History we explored the technology of the Vikings and how this helped their expansion throughout Europe. Students looked at the structure and features of ‘Longships’ in addition to the weaponry and armour of the Vikings. As part of their work, students sketched and labelled a ship and marked their own timeline from late 700 to 1066. Students were also introduced to primary and secondary source materials and explored some methodologies for analysing this material (COMA). Historians in the making!

Lunchtime Fun in the Library and the Easter Egg Design Competition

The Surf Coast library is a buzzing hive of activity at lunchtime! Our library is open during lunchtime every day, where students are welcome to enjoy a range of quiet activities, including reading, drawing, board games, Lego, and quiet play with friends. It’s a space for students to unwind, be creative, and spend time in a calm environment, with many students using the space each day.

We are also excited to be running our annual Book Easter Egg Design Competition, where students are encouraged to design an Easter egg inspired by books, favourite book characters, and reading. Templates for the competition are available in the library, and the competition is open to students in all year levels. The competition closes on Wednesday 25 March, and entries may be delivered to the library.

We look forward to seeing the many creative and imaginative designs!

Swim Team at Bellarine Division Districts Swim Championships

We are incredibly proud of our outstanding swim team, who represented Christian College with excellence at the Districts Swim Meet on Tuesday this week at Kardinia Aquatic Centre. Our students demonstrated exceptional skill in the water, showed admirable sportsmanship, and supported one another with genuine team spirit. It was truly inspiring to watch them compete with such determination and pride.

A heartfelt thank you goes out to our wonderful parents. Your encouragement, enthusiasm, and strong presence helped create a fantastic community atmosphere. We are so grateful for your continued support.

Congratulations to our Regional Qualifiers:

• Emilia McClea, progressing to Regionals in Backstroke
• Primrose Baker, progressing to Regionals in Backstroke and Butterfly

Every student gave their absolute best, with many achieving personal best times—some even faster than their qualifying swims. This is an incredible accomplishment and a reflection of their hard work and dedication.

Well done to all our swimmers! We couldn’t be prouder.

Community Prayer Group

A Vocal Extravaganza! Singers From Years 3 to 12 Shine!  

The Christian College Music Faculty held the first Cross-Campus Instrumental Music Performance Evening for 2026 on Wednesday this week in the RW Gibson Music Performance Centre at the Senior Campus. Forty vocal students from Years 3 -12 from all five campuses performed solos from a broad range of styles including music theatre, folk tunes, pop, rock and songs from many of the audiences' favourite movies.  

The CCG vocal tutors Jacinta Burns, Brad Treloar, Tania Grant, Kate Notini and Kirstin Camm-Bartle are all very proud of the student performers and look forward to the growth in musicianship and confidence that will flow from the experience of singing for an audience of their families, teachers, friends and peers.  

The students were also supported by the Music Faculty accompanists Regina Thomae, Tammy Treloar and Brad Treloar, who have rehearsed with the students in preparation for their performances. 

Congratulations to the students who performed, they sang beautifully and 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. 

Qustodio Parent App

Supervise and Support Your Children on Digital Devices at Home

Earlier this term parents had the opportunity to attend our Device Program Information Evening, which included support and resources for parents navigating digital devices at home. We acknowledged that can be challenging at times for us as parents to feel confident and empowered to help their children to be safe and responsible in their online activities, and to have balance between on-screen and off-screen activities.

A reminder that the Qustodio Parent App is available to all our parents to help them supervise and support their children with their online and digital interactions at home, on the school device and on personal devices.

Parents of new students to the College this term recently received an email invitation to activate their Qustodio parent account, but any parents in our community who have not yet done so can activate their account at any time if they wish. This help document will guide you in getting started.

Australian Music Examination Board - Sound Insights Day! 

Students learning an instrument may enjoy the AMEB Sound Insights Day at Melbourne Recital Centre during the school holidays on Tuesday 14 April 2026. 

This unique series of AMEB workshops, master classes and showcase concerts at MRC will provide learners with the chance to hear AMEB repertoire live, join the discussion of pieces, and gain essential exam insights. Students can also join throughout the day at AMEB Quiz Corner for a series of musical challenges and a chance to win some fantastic prizes, including Manhasset music stands valued at $160. 

With sessions featuring professional performers and AMEB examiners Kristian Chong, Josephine Vains, and Johanna Selleck, plus composers Calvin Bowman, Aaron Wyatt and Carolyn Morris, the AMEB Sound Insights Day is a must for all ages and musical levels. 

Student tickets are $10, with a 15% discount when you attend more than one event.            

For more information and to book, visit: 

https://www.melbournerecital.com.au/whats-on/series/ameb-sound-insights-day  

CC Eagles Basketball – Winter 2026 Season

Do you have a keen basketball player in your family? Or are you new to basketball and want to know more?

As one of the largest Basketball Clubs in Geelong, the Bellarine and Surf Coast, the CC Eagles is able to provide the appropriate competition for all our players, with a wide range of levels and age groups for boys and girls.

The CC Eagles currently have 7 teams that play as part of the Surf Coast Basketball Association competition at stadiums in and around Torquay. You do not have to attend Christian College to play for the CC Eagles, we welcome all players at all levels of ability to join our teams.

The winter basketball season is played over Term 2 and 3. We will be holding a Come and Try Clinic for new players looking to join the CC Eagles as follows:

Date:                Saturday 14th March

Location:         Christian College Surf Coast Indoor Basketball Court

Time:               2.00pm for U/9 and U/10 Boys and Girls

                        3.00pm for U/12 and U/14 Girls

                        4.00pm for U/12 and U/14 Boys

All-Star Kids at CCG

Hot Cross Buns 

With Lent underway and Easter just around the corner, it’s the perfect time for a little seasonal indulgence that also does a whole lot of good. Christian College Geelong is excited to partner with Ket Baker and Gluten Free4U to bring our community a delicious selection of locally made hot cross buns, all while supporting the Christian College Geelong Foundation. 

Why Your Purchase Matters 

Every pack purchased contributes directly to the Foundation, and thanks to a generous anonymous donor, all contributions will be matched dollar for dollar, doubling the impact. 

Ket Baker 6 pack – $15 

(Normally $20 retail) 

• Classic 

• Chocolate (includes fruit) 

• Chocolate (fruitless)  

• Spiced (fruitless) 

$6 donated per pack, matched to $12