Surf Coast Term 2 Week 3

 From the Executive Principal

In this week’s Vine you will see stories about exciting things happening in our school community this week. I thought I would highlight a few events in my introduction.

We had a wonderful 30th year celebration of our Twin School partnership with SMA Negeri 2 Mataram in Lombok, Indonesia, and we wish the visiting students and staff a safe trip home when they fly out on Sunday. There has been a raft of Mothers’ Day activities across a number of our campuses this week, and Preps at three campuses celebrated their first 50 days of school! We are looking forward in the month ahead to witnessing the depth and breadth of creative talent stemming from our College in several events, including three music nights – the first of which is the College All-Band night on Thursday of next week (May 15). As well as two more music nights during June, we have one of the year’s highlights later this month when more than 40 Middle Years students from three campuses take to the stage for performances of Treasure Island. There are just two weeks to go, so please visit our website and secure your tickets for one of the sessions on May 23 or 24.

GISSA Athletics Championships

Yesterday I attended the 2025 Geelong Independent Schools Sports Association (GISSA) Athletics Championships at John Landy Athletics Field. The eight member schools of GISSA are: Christian College Geelong, Clonard College Geelong, Covenant College Geelong, Geelong Baptist College, Geelong Lutheran College, Iona College Geelong, Kardinia International College, St Ignatius College Geelong. The principals of these eight schools are the directors of GISSA, and since I was in attendance on the day, I was asked to do the Awards presentation at the end of the day, as a director.

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 2 2025

WEEK 4

Monday 12  May                       MSAC Swimming Championships – Selected Students

Wednesday 14 May                  GISSA Year 7 1pm – 1.30pm

Thursday 15 May                      College Band Performance Evening – Concert band students

                                                          Round 2 of Year 5 and 6 Winter Carnival

Friday 16  May                          No students on campus – staff development day

Mothers’ Day

It was our pleasure this week to host our Surf Coast mums at our annual Mothers’ Day pamper afternoon. The mums and their children enjoyed afternoon tea together and then an opportunity to visit the classrooms and take part in craft activities. In addition to the craft activities both mum and their children had the opportunity to guess the baby teacher. On Friday the annual Mothers’ Day stall was a hive of activity, with the children perusing the many gifts with the hope to choose just the right one for their mum. We hope and pray our mums have the most wonderful Mothers’ Day and God richly blesses them.

Prep Students Celebrate 50 Days of School!

On Monday our wonderful Prep students reached an exciting milestone – 50 days of school! To mark this special occasion and the halfway point to 100 days, the students took part in a range of activities centred around the number 50 and the concept of half.

The students enjoyed singing along to counting songs, counting to 50 using blocks, creating symmetry artworks and colouring in half of a picture. They had fun with partner drawing challenges where students each drew half of a picture. Our Preps practised writing numbers and counting to 50 with stickers.

Prep students enjoyed having a go at doing different activities in just 50 seconds—like seeing how many times they could write their name, draw circles or pass a ball back and forth. They also took 50 big and 50 small steps and were excited to see just how far that number of steps could take them.

Our Prep students had a great time celebrating this day with their classes. We are so proud of how much they have learned and grown in their first 50 days of school and we are looking forward to the next 50 days as they continue their journey of learning and discovery.

Mothers’ Day Afternoon Tea and Arts and Crafts

We recently hosted a heartwarming Mothers’ Day celebration, bringing together mothers, grandmothers, and students for an afternoon of connection and creativity.

The event began with a delightful afternoon tea followed by all rooms holding arts and crafts sessions. This provided an opportunity for children to create personalized gifts, including handmade cards and decorative keepsakes.

In Year 1 we decided to make photo frames and decorate these frames with all sorts of colourful gems and to draw our very special mums or insert special messages written especially for them. The shared moments of crafting encouraged creativity and strengthened bonds, making the day even more special.

The event was a beautiful way to express gratitude and create lasting memories, reinforcing the importance of family and togetherness in our school community.

Year 2 Camp – A Fun-Filled Adventure!

Last week our Year 2 students had an unforgettable time at Camp Wilkin in Anglesea, filled with excitement, new experiences, and plenty of laughter! For many students, it was their very first time staying overnight away from home — and they tackled the challenge with great courage.

Camp was packed with thrilling and hands-on activities. The flying fox was a huge hit, with students soaring through the air and cheering each other on. Bush cooking was another favourite, where everyone had the chance to make (and taste) their own damper over the fire. The low ropes course tested their balance and coordination, while orienteering helped them develop navigation skills and explore the beautiful bush surroundings.

One of the highlights was the initiative games, where students worked together in teams to solve problems and complete challenges. It was wonderful to see them communicating, supporting one another, and celebrating their successes together.

We are so proud of all the Year 2 campers for embracing the adventure and showing resilience, teamwork, and a great sense of fun. Camp Wilkin was a wonderful experience that created many fun memories!

Camp, Cross-Country and Celebrating our Mums!

On Tuesday morning, we were greeted with sunshine as we headed to Bellbrae Reserve Oval for our much-anticipated school cross-country event. The energy from our students was incredible, with lots of cheering for classmates, siblings, and sports house teams. It was a joy to witness the camaraderie and resilience on display, particularly from our amazing Year 3s, who showed up with enthusiasm and determination after a big few days at camp!

We are still recovering from our wonderful three-day adventure last week. From Wednesday to Friday, our Year 3 students embraced every challenge with positivity and teamwork. It has been so nice to hear their reflections and favourite moments shared in the classroom this week. We will keep the camp photos coming, so stay tuned!

We also had the pleasure of welcoming our Surf Coast mums into the classrooms on Wednesday evening. It was so special to share this time with you, and we hope you left feeling as appreciated as you are.

To all the wonderful mums, we wish you a very Happy Mothers’ Day this weekend. We hope your beautiful children spoil you and remind you just how loved you are!

Year 4 – A Week Packed With Exciting Activities and Learning!

This week at school was packed with exciting activities and learning! We delved into the world of fractions by building fraction walls, which helped us visualise and understand equivalent fractions. In literacy we continued to build on our Latin and Greek base words. Our House Athletics Day was a blast, with everyone showing great sportsmanship and enthusiasm in various events. We also had a special afternoon dedicated to pampering our mothers, filled with fun and relaxation. Our Year 4 classrooms held chatterbox-making and it was lovely to see so many involved. To top it all off, we continued our fascinating journey through history by learning more about the Emperors of China. Additionally, we kept up with our Times Table Rock Stars practice, gearing up for the Victoria Rocks competition next week. It was a week full of fun, learning, and memorable moments!

P.E. Happenings – Term 2

Our Prep – Year 4 students are continuing to enjoy the continuing great weather while improving their Cross-Country running fitness levels and fundamental motor skills.

Preps are concentrating on ‘Catch’, Year 1 students are refining their Underhand throw and being introduced into ‘Overhand throw’, Year 2 students are working on their ‘Forehand strike’, Year 3s are focusing on ‘Overhand Throw’ and our Year 4 students are enjoying a unit on Basketball while developing their passing and dribbling skills.

Students take part in discussion and specific skill instruction, during which time each skill is broken down into components to focus on. Activities are undertaken in partner or small group settings and often a whole class game is introduced to put the skill into practice.

The Year 3 students are enjoying the throwing game ‘Run the Gauntlet’ and Year 1s are having fun with ‘Lob the Bomb’ and ‘Target Toss’.

Students are encouraged to practise these skills at home with family members. A couple of extra practice sessions per week really help to improve skill levels.

Year 7 Writers Workshop: Budding Authors in the Making!

This year, some of our Year 7 students have been sharpening their pens and flexing their creative muscles in the Writers Workshop elective. From spinning funny, intriguing, and imaginative tales to composing heartfelt and whimsical poetry, students have embraced the joy and challenge of creative writing with enthusiasm.

One of the most exciting real-world writing opportunities has come through contributing to The Vine. The students brainstormed and developed topics that reflect their interests and the unique experiences of being in Year 7 – giving voice to the stories that matter most to them and their peers.

A particularly thrilling moment came last term when one of the articles written by two of our Writers Workshop students, Stella and Ivy, caught the attention of the Geelong Advertiser! The newspaper requested permission to publish the girls’ article – a proud and memorable moment that inspired the whole class. It was a true celebration of student voice and talent, and a reminder of how powerful writing can be when it connects with readers beyond the classroom.

Congratulations to all our budding authors – and a special shoutout to Stella and Ivy for their outstanding achievement! Keep writing, dreaming, and sharing your stories with the world.

House Cross Country : A Day of Sunshine and Triumph

This week, our campus hosted the much-anticipated House Cross Country Championships in perfect weather. The sun was shining brightly, casting a warm glow over the course and creating ideal running conditions for all participants.

Students from all houses gathered with enthusiasm and energy, ready to take on the challenging terrain. The spirit of sportsmanship was evident as they cheered each other on, offering words of encouragement and support throughout the event.

The determination and resilience displayed by the students were truly inspiring. Each runner pushed themselves to their limits, navigating the true cross-country conditions with grit and perseverance. It was a testament to their hard work and dedication in preparing for this event.

In the end, it wasn’t just about winning or losing; it was about the collective effort and the sense of community that made the day special. Congratulations to all the participants for their outstanding performances and for making this year’s House Cross Country Championships a memorable and successful event!

Congratulations to our place getters for their outstanding performances! Your achievements are a source of pride for the entire school community.

Middle School Unites for Do It For Dolly Day

On Friday, our Middle School came together to mark Do It For Dolly Day, wearing blue—Dolly’s favourite colour—in a powerful show of unity, compassion, and commitment to kindness.

This important day is about more than just wearing blue. It’s a moment for reflection and open conversation. As a Middle School, we gathered to talk about what bullying can look, feel, and sound like, and how it affects individuals and communities. Through thoughtful discussions, students shared ways we can stand up for one another, create safe spaces, and support those who need it most.

By participating in Do It For Dolly Day, we are helping raise awareness about bullying and reinforcing the message that kindness and empathy matter. Together, we are committed to creating a culture where everyone feels seen, heard, and supported.

To learn more about Dolly’s Dream and the impact of this day, visit www.dollysdream.org.au

Celebrating Sporting Success Across Our College

A huge congratulations to our talented student, Harry Fields and Digby Wills, for being selected for the Christian College 13 Years team to compete in the GISSA Athletic Championship. Harry Fields showcased outstanding performances in the 800m and 1500m events, achieving impressive times and proudly representing both our campus and College. Another standout, Digby Wills, competed in the triple jump and long jump, also delivering excellent results and demonstrating great school spirit.

This week marked the beginning of our Year 7 GISSA Winter Round Robin. In collaboration with Bellarine campus, we fielded teams in Netball, Soccer, and AFL. The Year 7 students displayed fantastic teamwork and continued to sharpen their skills. We’re excited to see them take on Clonard College in netball for Div 2 team, Dov 1 team BYE, IONA College and St Ignatius College in Soccer and IONA College in AFL next week in what promises to be another thrilling round of competition.

Celebrating 30 Years of Friendship and Cultural Exchange 

On Wednesday evening, the College community gathered to mark an extraordinary milestone—30 years of friendship and collaboration between Christian College and SMA Negeri 2 Mataram, Lombok. What began as a modest cultural exchange has flourished into one of the longest-standing reciprocal programs between two schools, celebrated with pride, gratitude, and joy. 

The evening brought together Indonesian language staff, SMA 2 students and staff, host families, and distinguished guests, including representatives from the Indonesian Consulate in Melbourne and the Head of the Indonesian Association of Geelong. Former staff who contributed to the program over the decades were also warmly welcomed. 

Eighteen visiting students from Lombok were awarded certificates of participation in the 2025 exchange, highlighting the ongoing strength of this cherished partnership. Inspiring speeches were shared by the program’s founder, Mrs Julienne Welsh, current program leaders Bapak Ihdzar Azizi and Mrs Jessica Bijaksono, and Dr Alistair Welsh, who spoke about the lifelong benefits of second-language learning. 

The evening concluded with a captivating dance performance by Lombok students representing the island’s rich cultural diversity, followed by a shared meal where families reflected on the past 10 days of connection and the lasting legacy of this unique exchange. 

Calling All Coding Wizards

Are you ready to unlock your inner tech wizard? 🧙‍♂️✨ We are thrilled to announce the upcoming Coding Challenge, open to all students with a knowledge of coding.

What is it?
The Coding Challenge is an international competition where students will tackle fun programming puzzles using their coding and algorithmic thinking skills. The coding challenge requires students to have a working knowledge of Turtle Blocky, Python, C#, Java or VB. More information can be found at https://www.amt.edu.au/cc

When and Where?

Date: Tuesday the 17 of June 2025
Location: On Campus/online

Duration: 45 mins

How to Sign Up:
Email S.bergin@ccg.vic.edu.au before Friday the 6 of June.

Magical Musical Nights With College Ensembles

Across Term 2, Christian College students, staff and families are warmly invited to enjoy and appreciate a range of our finest musicians from different levels and different campuses performing in the Middle School-Highton Sports and Aquatic Centre.

Last night we held the College All-Bands Night, which featured a huge Combined Novice Band with students from Bellarine, Highton and Surf Coast campuses performing all together for the first time. We were also entertained by the Intermediate Stage Band, Highton Intermediate Concert Band, the Bellarine Stage Band, Bellarine Concert Band, Senior Wind Symphony and Senior Stage Band. Thank you to all our dedicated and enthusiastic instrumental staff and major events staff for their work on the night, and for the encouragement of parents, family friends and the wider College community - it is that expertise, hard work and support that makes nights such as last night possible.

Save the date also for the College All-Choirs Night on June 4 and the College All-Strings Night on June 24. Watch this space in The Vine, and our social media platforms, as the dates approach, for details.

Nicole is a Proud Ambassador!

If you’ve been in a Bakers Delight store in the last day or few, you might have noticed a familiar face on posters and signage celebrating a 25-year relationship between the national baking franchise and the Breast Cancer Network of Australia. As someone who had breast cancer last year, and has been prominent in supporting breast cancer awareness and fundraising campaigns, our Christian Education Coordinator from Middle School-Highton, Nicole Riddle, was asked to be a BCNA ambassador and is the face of this year’s Bakers Delight Pink Bun campaign where for three weeks during May, 100 per cent of revenue from all Fun Bun sales goes directly to BCNA. The aim is to raise $2.5 million this year – an incredible $27 million has been raised over the past 24 years.

This morning, Middle School-Highton staff – most of whom were adorned in pink, or at least wearing a splash – gathered for a morning tea to support the cause.

If you enjoy a Bakers Delight bun or two, support the cause and go pink in May!  Nicole – and more than 20,000 women and men every year in Australia who have been, or will be diagnosed with breast cancer, and their loved ones – will be highly appreciative.

You can read more about the Bakers Delight campaign here.

If you tune into Channel 9's Weekend Today program tomorrow (Saturday May 10) from 8am, Nicole will be appearing.

Mothers’ Day 

We are wishing a very Happy Mothers’ Day to all the wonderful and amazing mothers in our College community. 

Sunday is a wonderful chance to celebrate the mothers in our lives, it is also a chance for us to reflect on the important women in our lives who may have played the role of a mother in one way or another. Be it a Grandma, an Aunt or another significant woman who has offered a guiding light, unconditional acceptance, compassion, advice or strength, when we have needed it most. This helps to create a stronger, compassionate and more connected community, allowing our children to thrive and in that sense, there are so many wonderful women to celebrate – mothers of our global village. 

Please enjoy the pictures from across our College, acknowledging this very special day.  

We are sending strength and love to everyone this Sunday, especially to those that find Mother’s Day a particularly difficult day. 

Student Wellbeing Officers:

Kate Hickey, Amy Cornwell, Angelina Russell & Sandra Marinovic

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.

Treasure Island – Showtime Next Week! 

Excitement is mounting as the opening performance of the middle years production of Treasure Island approaches. The talented young cast drawn from the Bellarine, Surfcoast and Highton campuses have been rehearsing since February to bring the iconic Robert Louis Stevenson story to life and as a bonus experiencing all of the benefits of participation in a college production.  

With infectious enthusiasm from the cast of 10-14 year olds and creative direction from drama teachers Kelly Clifford and Taylah Broad Treasure Island offers an entertaining theatre experience for the whole family. The auditorium at the Bellarine campus will be transformed to a mysterious island, complete with palm trees, pirates and plenty of adventure.  

 The play will be staged at 1pm and 7pm on Friday May 23 and 1pm and 5.30pm on Saturday May 24. Tickets are available by clicking on the Treasure Island hotlink at the top of the Christian College homepage.