Surf Coast Term 2 Week 3

WEEK 4
Monday 16th May: NAPLAN Test Year 3 – Language Conventions
Tuesday 17th May: Bush Prep
Wednesday 18th May: NAPLAN Test Year 3 – Maths
Friday 20th May: East Timor Independence Day Casual Dress
Friday 20th May: BLP Clubs
Friday 20th May: Year 3 and Year 4 Swimming

WEEK 5
Wednesday 25th May: Arthur Reed Photos
Wednesday 25th May: National Simultaneous Storytime
Friday 27th May: Assembly
Friday 27th May: Year 3 and Year 4 Swimming

WEEK 6
National Reconciliation Week
Tuesday 31st May: Bush Prep
Friday 3rd June: BLP Clubs
Friday 3rd June: Year 3 and Year 4 Swimming

WEEK 7
Tuesday 7th June: Celebration of Learning Conferences 2.30pm – 5.30pm
Thursday 9th June: Celebration of Learning Conferences 2.30pm – 5.00pm
Friday 10th June: BLP Clubs
Friday 10th June: Year 3 & Year 4 Swimming

WEEK 8
Monday 13th June: Queen’s Birthday Long Weekend Public Holiday
Tuesday 14th June: Bush Prep
Friday 17th June: Last Day of Term 3.30pm Dismissal

Last Monday the Year 3 and 4 students took part in the ‘Healthy Heroes’ Schools Program conducted by the AFL Geelong Cats.

Students welcomed Facilitators Alex and Janine, and were excited to meet currents Cats player, Zac Guthrie.

Zac, Alex and Janine worked together to deliver an hour Health lesson, covering topics about physical activity, nutrition and hydration, screen time and wellbeing.

The students enjoyed asking Zac questions about his life as a footballer and learnt how important good nutrition, hydration and wellbeing were to his success.

Students received a healthy eating recipe booklet and Zac’s autograph as a keep sake.

Thanks to Lachlan Walters for his thank you speech and to all students on their behaviour and manners.

Around this time of the year, you see many Koinobori (large fish streamers) flying against a blue spring sky in Japan. Wishing their child’s happiness and health, families with little children in Japan celebrate Children’s Day on May 5th, decorating with Koinobori and a samurai warrior’s helmet. Students in Surf Coast campus enjoyed learning about this Japanese annual event by holding the giant Koinobori and seeing the warrrior’s helmet. They also made and wore origami Kabuto helmets.Children’s Day is a fun day for children and families and it is the day to remind us that every child is precious.

This week the Year 2 students headed down the coast to Aireys Inlet for their annual camp. On the way to Angahook Holiday Camp, the excited group of students stopped off at the historic Bark Hut to stretch their legs and walk along the coastline to Split Point Lighthouse.

The Year 2 students arrived at Angahook Holiday Camp eager to explore their new environment. On the first day the students challenged themselves with a low ropes course, archery and hut building in the bush. During free time they searched for the perfect stick to toast marshmallows later that evening, and they played an assortment of indoor and outdoor games. After dinner the students made their way to the campfire and toasted marshmallows beneath a breathtakingly clear and starry sky. They then retreated to the games hall to enjoy a movie together.

The next day the students worked together to solve the problems presented in an initiative course, encouraging and supporting each other to do their best and try their hardest to overcome some challenging obstacles. After a delicious snack of freshly baked muffins and fresh fruit, the students set off for a bush walk in the nearby Great Otway National Park. They were amazed by the many different birdcalls they heard during a minute’s silence and their enthusiastic and inquisitive natures caused them to point out different plants, fungi and evidence of wildlife as they wandered along the meandering path. The last of the organised activities was an entertaining game of disc golf where students negotiated trees and hills in order to throw their frisbees towards the target.

After their last camp meal and a final play, the students boarded the bus to return to school. The trip home was certainly a quieter journey than the bus ride the day before. The Year 2 students returned home a touch exhausted but still with enough energy to have some fun on the playground before gathering their luggage and heading home for the night.

It was an absolute pleasure spending a couple of days with the Year 2 cohort and sharing in their excitement and wonder, as well as witnessing their collaboration and enthusiasm to try new and challenging activities.

This week Year 1 has embraced our focus on First Peoples’ culture. We analysed the importance of connecting to an Acknowledgement of Country, writing our Year 1T and 1J class Acknowledgement of Country. These have been published and sit proudly and respectfully in our Year 1 learning space entrance.

We have also learned the history, importance, lyrics, and actions of the traditional Torres Strait Islands song and dance, Taba Naba. The song is a traditional song in Meriam Mir, a language of the Torres Strait Islanders. We then shared our love of learning the Taba Naba song and dance with the whole school during our Week 3 assembly. It was truly amazing to connect with the power of song and dance!

Here is what we loved learning- try singing along.

Taba Naba:
Taba naba naba norem
Tugi penai siri
Dinghy e naba we
Miko keimi
Sere re naba we
Taba naba norem.

Translation:
Come on let’s go to the reef
Get into the dinghy when the morning tide is low
Let us row to the edge of the reef
Come on let’s go to the reef.

I know, I know….. we say it every week. But this fortnight has truly been HUGE!!! It started with the Mother’s Day pamper. It was an absolute blessing to see all the Year 3 mums spending some one- on- one time with the kids. I know they absolutely loved it! Some of our cohort was also involved in serenading the mums before the festivities.

Every Friday we have been trekking up to middle school and enjoying our time in the pool. Don’t forget your bathers!! On Monday the kids got to participate in the Healthy Heroes, run by the Geelong Cats and the students were able to get an autograph! Then it was into our first NAPLAN tests which the kids took on with vigour. To finish off an exhausting week we were lucky enough to score some tickets to the Christian College production of Shrek the Musical. And what can we say but WOW!!! It was amazing. Check it out if you’re able.

Next week we finish off with NAPLAN and have a little bit more of a settled week. However, we are almost halfway through the term already so hold on to your hats because we are full steam ahead!

Hi all! It is so good to be back! I can’t believe week 3 has just come to a close! I came into the term definitely feeling very refreshed and ready after a nice 2 week holiday aka honeymoon to Cairns!

As you may have seen from the last Vine of Term 1, I got to marry my beautiful, now wife, Tarlee! We had a very special wedding day shared with friends and family! My Dad and sister made it over from New Zealand and it was so good to see them after a year and a half!

We got married in Ocean Grove and had a really special ceremony, I may have cried seeing Tarlee come around the corner, she was (and is) SO beautiful! We jumped in the epic Kombi, got our photos done and went out to Rocklea Farm where we had the best tacos and had a boogie!
I do want to say a thank you to Ben Virtue and Piers Fitzgerald for the wise advice to take a moment together, to step back and take in the moment at the reception. It was good advice we acted on and are thankful for!

We then flew to Cairns a few days later for 2 weeks and had a lot of fun adventuring, swimming, recovering… and the ever important, retail therapy!

For me, it was my first proper holiday in 3.5 years and it’s been so nice to come back refreshed. As I write this, I’m reminded of how important rest is, so much so, we see in Genesis that after 6 days of creating the world we live in, God took a day and rested. I definitely struggle to do this, I allow the hustle and bustle, the opportunities etc, to take precious time that could be wisely used to relax, unwind, and be present. I’m not great at this and want to get better! I certainly feel better for it, that’s for sure!

Anyways, that’s my little update, reflection and goal for this coming term!
I hope you are all well and a special welcome to our new students and families as well!

Pratty

For many years now our College has supported the people of East Timor in a village called Viqueque. Many of our staff and students have travelled to Viqueque to assist in the local schools and kindergartens. Next week, our students will be celebrating East Timor’s Independence while learning more about the country and its people. On Friday May 20th we will be raising funds for our friends in Timor by holding a casual dress day. Students are encouraged to wear one or all of the colours of the East Timor flag, red, yellow and black.

We are asking the children to bring a gold coin donation on Friday when they wear their casual clothes. All proceeds will go directly to the school we support in Viqueque.

Parents will be aware from recent Vine articles throughout this term that we are excited about our new Cyber Safe Schools Program that the College is introducing in partnership with Linewize by Family Zone this year.

Over this term we have been putting in place some new tools at school that will help support and protect students in the digital space while at school and enable teachers and pastoral staff to be empowered to support our students’ wellbeing more effectively going forward. This process has now been completed.

The final step is the installation of Family Zone’s Connect app on College laptops for students in Years 4-12, which we are now ready to begin.

This will pave the way for us to be prepared early next term to share more about this exciting new program, including some parent tools. These tools have the potential to empower parents to guide and support their child’s wellbeing, safety, and development of positive behaviours relating to technology in the home.

The introduction of the Connect app on College devices, alongside our existing malware protection app Forticlient, means students are able to be well protected when using their College device.

For parent reference, more information is provided below on both apps installed on all College laptops that are part of our Student 1:1 Device Program to help protect students.

This app is an important component of the technology behind our new Cyber Safe Schools Program in partnership with Linewize by Family Zone.

The Connect app will help ensure that students remain protected and engaged in learning during school hours, even if they disconnect from our safe College Wi-Fi network. This app will be inactive and dormant for school purposes outside of school hours.

The Connect app is also central to the tools we’ll soon be making available to all parents to support them with managing the College laptop and other devices in the home if they wish.

We’ll soon begin installing the Connect app onto student laptops via a remote process, which should be completed by start of Week 3 in Term 2.

Forticlient EDR is an extra layer of protection for student laptops from malware, viruses, and other risky content, on top of Microsoft’s own built-in Windows Security features.

This software helps to protect students and their laptop from malicious software and sites both at school and at home. The Forticlient software is already installed on all student laptops.

We take our duty of care seriously for ensuring the wellbeing and protection of students and for helping them to build positive digital behaviours while at school. We also want to work with parents and support them with their important role in this at home.

It is for this reason that the two apps above are required to be present on all students’ College laptops going forward. It is part of our Digital Learning and Device Policy Agreement that this software remains on all student laptops and is not tampered with or removed.

We look forward excitedly to soon sharing more details of our Cyber Safe Schools Program early in Term 2. In the meantime, please take some time these holidays to explore our parents’ Online Safety Hub.

The Foundation is hosting a dinner for young professionals. Join us on Saturday, 25 June 2022 from 6:00pm-9:00pm at the Shelter Shed, 25 Hesse St, Queenscliff. Tickets are $50 each and RSVPs close on Friday, 27 May 2022 at 5:00pm.

Our guest speaker is Paul Gray, Managing Director – Southern Star Group of Companies. one of the leading window manufacturers in the country.

Paul Gray’s experience in the window industry covers more than 40 years. After a career with some of Australia’s major window manufacturers, he has been the Managing Director of the Southern Star Group of companies since starting the business in July 2002.  Over the last 20 years, he has led the significant growth of the business, with the Group now employing more than 600 people in 7 branches Australia wide and comprising the brands Southern Star Aluminium Windows and Doors, Canterbury Timber Windows and Doors, Homeview Windows and Doors, Southern Star Glass and Big J Doors and Fixings.  Paul’s expertise extends to every facet of the business including manufacturing, procurement, logistics, sales, business management, finance and people and culture, giving him the skill set that has steered the Southern Star business through its impressive growth.  In recent years, Paul has also served on the Board of the pre-eminent industry body, the Australian Glass and Windows Association.

Personally, Paul is father to 3 daughters and grandfather to nine grandchildren.

Book online at www.ccgfoundation.org.au/youngprofessionals

The Class of 2012 10-Year Reunion is set for Saturday, July 23 2022. Join us at CENTRA in Geelong from 6:00pm-8:00pm. Tickets are $15 each and RSVPs close on Friday, 8 July 2022 at 5:00pm. 

This will be a great opportunity for you to reconnect with your peers, catch up with past teachers, and reminisce about your school days.

Tours of the College Clocktower at Middle School – Highton will also be optional on the day of the reunion. If you would like to climb the Clocktower and find your brick, simply book in when you register online.

For those who would like to have a tour of the College grounds, all alumni are encouraged to book a tour to see what’s happening at each of our campuses. To arrange a tour, please head to our website.

We look forward to catching up with the Class of 2012. If this is your year group, register for your 10-year reunion today!

Book online at www.ccgfoundation.org.au/2012

The Inaugural All In Reunion for the Classes of 1991, 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011, 2016, 2020 is set for Saturday, 13 August 2022. Join us at The Pier Geelong from 5:30pm-8:00pm. Tickets are $15 each and RSVPs close on Friday, 29 July 2022 at 5:00pm. 

The launch of our all in reunion program was unfortunately postponed last year due to COVID-19 restrictions. The aim of this new initiative is to formerly launch an alumni association, as well as provide more regular networking opportunities for all past students. On this night we will be celebrating the following milestones:

• Class of 2011 – 10 Years (missed in 2021)
• Class of 2001 – 20 Years (missed in 2021)
• Class of 1991 – 30 Years (missed in 2021)

If you were in one of these peer years, register today!

Book online at www.ccgfoundation.org.au/allin1

We are pleased to confirm an additional All In Reunion for the Classes of 1992, 1997, 2002, 2007, 2012, 2017, 2021 (and 2010) is set for Saturday, 8 October 2022. Join us at CENTRA from 5:30pm-8:00pm. Tickets are $15 each and RSVPs close on Friday, 23 September 2022 at 5:00pm. 

Come along to hear all about our new alumni association and catch up with some old school friends. On this night we will be celebrating the following milestones:

• Class of 2010 – 10 Years (missed in 2020)
• Class of 2012 – 10 Years this year
• Class of 2002 – 20 Years this year
• Class of 1992 – 30 Years this year

If you were in one of these peer years, register today!

Book online at www.ccgfoundation.org.au/allin2

The Foundation Golf Tournament is set for Thursday, 27 October 2022. Join us at 13th Beach Golf Links from 8:00am for a shotgun start. Tickets are $190 each ($150 for members) or $750 for a group of four. RSVPs close on Thursday, 6 October 2022 at 5:00pm. 

Funds raised from this event will be allocated to our Foundation Scholarship Fund, supporting current students who are in need of financial assistance.

Book online at www.ccgfoundation.org.au/golf

Don’t get caught up with believing that success means travelling down only smooth roads.

 Being able to regain control on any road is something to be proud of, and that requires experiencing both the rough and the smooth.

So wherever you are….it’s ok.

Just remember to take control 😊

Discover more about MYTERN here