Surf Coast Term 2 Week 5

From the Dean of Christian Culture

A Call to Prayer

I think, I feel and I believe it is absolutely time to pray.

You might say “well Mia isn’t it always time to pray?” and you’d be absolutely right, it’s always a good time to pray. The more prayer the better.

At this point in our College’s story I feel more and more the burden to be a place and community of prayer. We are in a season of change as a College, we are advertising for some very significant roles in the life of our community and our future. As we seek to appoint a Business Manager, Vice Principal of Teaching and Learning and an Executive Principal, along with the normal staffing intentions and decisions that will all need to be worked out for the 2025 academic year, I am calling our community to prayer. It’s important for us to continually remember that Christian College is God’s school, and we are here to do God’s work and serve God’s people, thus these appointments are also God’s decision. We must be praying for the wisdom, discernment and guidance to make these appointments according to God’s will and character to the best of our ability.

I really feel this chapter of our history must be marked and grounded wholeheartedly in prayer. The more we do this together, encourage one another and model this within our community the more hope we experience, the deeper and more mature our faith becomes and ultimately the closer to the character of God we remain.

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 2024

WEEK 6

Monday 20 May                        East Timor Independence Day – Whole Campus – casual dress in East Timor colours and gold coin donation

Wednesday 22 May                 Arthur Reed Photos

Wednesday 22 May                 Prep Nurse Visit

Wednesday 22 May                 National Simultaneous Reading 10:45 – Prep to Year 4

Thursday 23 May                    Winter Sports – Years 5 & 6

Friday 24 May                          Assembly – All Welcome

From The Chaplain: Introducing…The Living Room Church

Hi everyone,

I trust you’ve had a wonderful week and have had the opportunity to snuggle up in a blanket on some chilly nights this week!

One of the new segments that I’ll be introducing into the Vine is called “Introducing…”, and each week we’ll be introducing a different local church that our Campus has connected with. Each of these churches is open to families, and they’d love to have you come along, on Sunday, or to any of the other things that they run during the week.

Each church will have a chance to share a bit about who they are, and what programs they have for families and children, and then I’ll include some contact/service details at the bottom if you are wanting to attend or get in touch.

If you’ve got any questions about this, or any of the churches, please don’t hesitate to contact me by email or phone, or contact the churches directly.

So without any further ado, Introducing…The Living Room Church!

Adventure, Imagination and Wildlife Wonders at Bush Prep

On Monday, our Preps embarked on a wonderful afternoon of exploration and learning at Bush Discovery. Their imaginations took flight in the great outdoors as they engaged in a variety of self-directed activities. Utilising the teepees which have been constructed throughout the year by various Surf Coast campus students, the children entered a world of fun and pretend play, creating their own villages full of interesting characters. The Preps established obstacle courses which challenged their agility and persistence, as well as building pretend fires around which they roasted pretend marshmallows. Some of our Preps even imagined up their very own trampoline using some of the soft undergrowth around the teepees! We spotted wildlife wonders, including the resident mob of kangaroos that inhabit Spring Creek and two majestic eagles who circled overhead. Just like the characters in our focus book that we are reading this week, ‘The Echidna Near My Place’, we kept our eyes peeled for the elusive echidna. While we didn’t spot one this time, we imagined them out there, hidden in plain sight, masters of disguise with their wonderful camouflage skills.

Bush Discovery is an important part of our Preppies’ learning journey; it’s an opportunity for them to grow, learn, and see the world through a different lens. Their imaginations were on full display this week, and as educators, we couldn’t be prouder of their curiosity and enthusiasm.

Our new Fluffy Friends!

🐣🎉 Extra, extra! Read all about it! Year 1 welcomes adorable new guests: baby chicks! 🎉🐣

Get ready for two weeks of feathery fun as our little learners dive into the fascinating world of chickens. From egg to chick to clucking chicken, we’re on a mission to witness every stage of the life cycle up close and personal.

Excitement levels reached sky-high as the kids welcomed their new feathered friends into their cozy pen. But the fun doesn’t stop there! We’ve got eggs patiently waiting to crack open and reveal more fluffy surprises. 🥚🐥

And guess what? These chirpy companions aren’t just for cuddles; they’re our secret weapon for mastering information report writing and whipping up some egg-cellent bar graphs. 📝📊

Stay tuned as we count our clucks and see just how many adorable fluff balls make their way into our class. It’s bound to be an egg-ceptional adventure! 🌟🐔

Year 2 Amazing Maths

This term the Year 2 students have commenced working on measurement using money. The students have been practising exchanging coins and make $1 using different combinations of coins. We are introduced this concept to them in week one, so we can celebrate the great use of the student diaries and nightly reading routines. Students have been earning coins (fake money) for their nightly reading; this will also afford the students with regular practice of combining these coins to make $1 across the term. At the end of the term, we will run a little shop for the students to spend their money they have saved. This week during our math lessons we have been using algorithm for multi-step operations and adding multiple numbers.

Students have been using a range of strategies to explore different addition and subtraction facts. Students have been able to show their understanding in both independent and collaborative activities. Well done year 2s, keep up the amazing work!

It’s About Time!

Our Year 4 students have enjoyed exploring the concept of time in Mathematics over the past fortnight. Looking at both analogue and digital time through the use of classroom clocks, games and puzzles, the students are developing their confidence when reading various times to the closest minute.

Students have also been challenged through problems that require them to find the starting time, finishing time or elapsed time for various events. Representing these problems visually on their whiteboards allows the students to see and calculate the passing of time. Learning to identify the key pieces of information contained within these challenging worded problems has been a key aspect of the learning in this unit.

Year 6 Class Embarks on an Exciting Journey into Australian Democracy

Our Year 6 class is buzzing with excitement as they dive into their new unit on Australian democracy! This term, students are exploring the intricacies of our government, learning about the three levels—federal, state, and local—and the vital roles each one plays. They are gaining a deep understanding of how the House of Representatives and the Senate operate, discovering the processes that keep our democracy functional.

In an engaging hands-on project, students will form their own political parties within the classroom. Each party will develop a platform, debate policies, and work to pass a bill in our mock parliament. This immersive experience will not only teach them about the legislative process but also instil essential skills like collaboration, critical thinking, and public speaking.

6T has also been enthusiastic about the Winter Sports Carnival. Competing against other schools in their chosen sports, they have shown remarkable teamwork and school spirit. Whether on the field, court, or track, their dedication and camaraderie have been very inspiring.

Move Your Body!

2024 is turning into an exciting year with the addition of dance and drama incorporated into our classroom music program to form our newest subject: Performing Arts.

Students from Prep and Year 1 have been exploring elements of Drama this term with a strong focus on mime and body movement. Although a natural form of human expression, it has been an absolute pleasure to explore concepts such as body language and facial expressions to help convey mood and energy with these young people. We have also enjoyed plenty of creative exercises including, using our bodies (often in teams) to form various shapes, letters, numbers and objects. In small group settings, it was terrific to see how easily students could come up with unique designs, share their ideas, and problem-solve with their peers.

In Year 2, students have been exploring storytelling through dance. We have been inspired by a variety of different dance styles including Indigenous Australian corroboree dances, the New Zealand Haka all the way through to classical ballet and classic Hollywood musical theatre. Students have used orchestral excerpts and their imaginations to create characters and interesting scenes, learning that you don’t always need your voice to tell a great story!

Reminder:  Generative AI Parent Webinar

A reminder to parents and members of our community that we will be offering an online parent webinar, delivered via Microsoft Teams, next Wednesday. It has been wonderful to see such strong parent interest via RSVP responses and questions submitted so far.

There is still time to register for this event. Further details about the event are listed below.

Event: Generative AI and School Parent Webinar
Format: Microsoft Teams online webinar
Date: Wednesday, June 12, 2024
Time: 6.30pm – 7.15pm

Topics likely to be explored in the webinar include:

• What is generative AI?
• What are the benefits, risks, and limitations of these tools?
• What is the College’s response to generative AI?
• What AI tools do students have access to at school?
• What are the College’s rules and guidelines for use of generative AI?
• How can I support my child with navigating this space ethically and safely?

Interested parents are encouraged to register for the event via the form link below, to help with planning. Parents can also indicate what information they feel would be most relevant to them as they complete this form.

Register for the parent webinar

Foundation Gathering Hope Appeal Luncheon

The Foundation Gathering Hope Appeal Luncheon is back on and has been scheduled for Friday, 24 May 2024.

You are invited to join us for lunch at the stunning Provenance Wines in Fyansford.

This is a fundraising event for the Foundation and an opportunity to hear about the success and progress of the College.

Our guest speaker is Jossy Chacko, Founder and President of Empart, a global ministry that exists to ignite holistic community transformation among needy communities.

Giving leadership to a team of over 13,000 people and offices in nine countries, Jossy travels around the world inspiring and challenging leaders to capture a larger God-size vision and not to waste gifts and opportunities. He is also the author of Madness! and Dare to Partner.

Don't miss out on this incredible opportunity to come together. 

Secure your seat and book online today! 

https://ccgfoundation.org.au/gh

Golf Tournament 

Join the Christian College Foundation for an exciting four-person Ambrose Golf Day, including a $30,000 hole in one prize on Thursday, 24th of October at 13th Beach Golf Links, Barwon Heads.

Set on the stunning Bellarine Peninsula, the day provides an opportunity to enjoy the award-winning creek course, known for its undulating couch fairways, deep bunkers and interesting swales and hollows.

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 is plenty of prizes up for grabs, including a cash prize of $30,000. Score a Hole in One on the 12th Hole and you can win. *

You will also be treated to a delicious buffet lunch and learn more about the incredible work of the foundation. Every dollar raised will be dollar matched!