From the Acting Principal
Thirty years ago, in 1993, a diverse group of major faith communities in Australia initiated a Week of Prayer for Reconciliation, from May 27 to June 3. This weeklong event evolved into Reconciliation Week which is now under the guidance of Reconciliation Australia. The two dates, May 27 and June 3 are historically significant. May 27 marks the anniversary of the 1967 referendum when Australians overwhelmingly voted to include indigenous Australians in the national census. And, on June 3 1992, the High Court of Australia recognised native title – the land rights of the Meriam people in Torres Strait – also known as the Mabo decision.
Christian College is proud to promote Reconciliation Week as we join with other schools, workplaces and community groups throughout Australia in working towards a just and equitable and reconciled Australia. This year’s Reconciliation Week theme, “Be a Voice for Generations”, honours the work of previous generations who fought for justice and calls on the next generation to continue the work. We will be acknowledging Reconciliation Week in various ways including assemblies, homeroom devotions and other initiatives throughout the week.
If you happen to be attending the AFL Men’s Geelong vs. Greater Western Sydney tomorrow (Saturday) afternoon, look out for the 10 Christian College students who will be forming part of a 50-strong choir singing in a pre-game performance as part of the Sir Doug Nicholls Indigenous Round. Another initiative has involved singers on each of our campuses recording a version of the song, “From Little Things Big Things Grow”, to be shared on social media next week, joined by hundreds of other schools across Australia doing likewise. The song tells the story of the Gurindji people’s fight to keep their land, which culminated in the symbolic gesture in 1975 of then Prime Minister Gough Whitlam pouring soil into the hand of Gurindji spokesperson Vincent Lingiari. In response, Lingiari spoke these words: “Let us live happily together as mates, let us not make it hard for each other”.
Whilst it is important that we specifically acknowledge National Reconciliation Week at this time each year, Christian College has an ongoing commitment to educate our young people about issues affecting Indigenous Australians and the importance of reconciliation. Our academic program includes, in all subjects, the Australian Curriculum requirement to engage students in reconciliation, respect and recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures. Our assemblies and services commence with an Acknowledgement of Country to recognise the traditional owners of the land on which our campuses are built. Year 10 students have an opportunity to participate in an immersive cultural experience in Central Australia, with two groups recently returning from visits to indigenous communities in Finke and Alcoota. And we recently established a Reconciliation Action Plan working group, with representation from our student body, teachers, board members and parents. The group, chaired by Year 12 student Isaac Boseley, meets each term and continues to make excellent progress as we move toward formalising our own Christian College Reconciliation Action Plan.
God encourages reconciliation as a means of healing and restoring relationships. The week ahead will give all of us the opportunity to bring reconciliation closer to reality for our First Nations people.
Rick Geall, Acting Principal
From Little Things Big Things Grow
In 2018 our Surf Coast Campus opened its door to 12 of the most adorable Preps – our Foundation students, three full-time staff members and quite a few specialist teachers that travelled to the Surf Coast from other campuses. Fast forward five years to 2023 and those 12 little Prep students are now in Year 5 and have been joined by another 12 students. We now have two Prep classes with 39 Preps in total, 12 full-time staff and a group of amazing support and specialist staff. This year we have 168 students attending our campus across all levels from Prep to Year 5. We are very excited about the future growth of our campus both with the new families we welcome and the new buildings that are being erected to accommodate our present and future students. We do feel truly blessed.
Debbie Riddle, Campus Coordinator
What’s Happening at Surf Coast
Is 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 2023
Week 6
*National Reconciliation Week
Tuesday May 30 Geelong Excursion – Yr 2 – More information to follow
Tuesday May 30 Discovery and Learning – Prep
Thursday June 1 Discovery and Learning – Yr 1
Thursday June 1 Winter Sports – 12.30pm – 3.30pm – Yr 5
Friday June 2 BLP Clubs – 2.45pm – 3.30pm
Week 7
Tuesday June 6 Annual Surf Coast Cross Country – 12.30pm – 3.30pm
Wednesday June 7 Annual Surf Coast Cross Country – 12.30pm – 3.30pm – *BACK
UP DAY
Thursday June 8 Winter Sport – 12.30pm – 3.30pm – Yr 5
Thursday June 8 Lunchtime Concert – 1.40pm
Friday June 9 Assembly – 2.45pm – 3.30pm
Friday June 9 Project Care Food Bank Appeal – More information to come
Week 8
Monday June 12 Kings Birthday Holiday – No students at school – Campus closed
Tuesday June 13 Discovery and Learning – Yr Prep
Thursday June 15 Regional Cross Country – Selected Yr 4 and 5 students
Thursday June 15 Year 5 Winter Sport TBC – 12.30pm – 3.30pm – Yr 5
Thursday June 15 History Presentation – Yr 1
Friday June 16 BLP Clubs – 2.45pm – 3.30pm
Week 09
Monday June 19 Dress Up Day – When I grow up – Yr Prep
Monday June 19 Surf Coast- Year 5T STEM Boat Race – Highton
Tuesday June 20 Discovery and Learning – Yr 1
Wednesday June 21 Celebration of Learning Conferences Session 1 – 2.30pm – onwards – more information to come
Thursday June 22 Celebration of Learning Conferences Session 2 – 2.30pm – onwards – more information to come
Thursday June 22 Lunchtime Concert – 1.40pm
Friday June 23 Last Day of Term – 2.30pm
Teamwork Makes the Dream Work!
This week our Preps ventured down the valley to the magnificent Doorangwar (Spring Creek) area of our beautiful school grounds.
We talked about helping one another through teamwork and realised how working together makes work easier, more fun and makes us feel a great sense of achievement.
As a team, and with the help of our wonderful parent helpers, the students built teepee houses and worked on creating our very own furniture pieces to be used inside. We also excavated areas and made dams using gum leaves. Some students made a pretend fire using gum leaves and sticks, including pretend marshmallows of course! Some created gorgeous posies of flowers and flower crowns. Other eagle-eyed students found a beautiful nest of slater beetles, which they observed and noticed there were many small ‘baby’ beetles within the colony.
We loved working together during our Bush Prep adventure!
Caitlin Maher
Torquay Historical Walking Tour
This week we got to step back in time and see old historical sites located right in our backyard! Starting down at Cosy Corner, we had a nice lunch to fuel us for our big walk ahead. As partners, we carried clipboards and a map to make sure we crossed off any sites and landmarks that we saw.
Along the way, we saw some fabulous historical sites that have been looked after for many years. Some of the stops we checked out included Nairn’s Dairy, the original Torquay post box and Taylor Park with the gate. Many of these have been looked after and cared for, while others had sadly been replaced, but are still remembered with a plaque and gorgeous images from their time. To give our tired legs a little break, we enjoyed our time at the park for some play.
Nick Hogan
Delving Into our Past
Having completed a fun and tasty Science unit, the Year 3 students are now delving into local and Australian history as the next focus for Integrated Studies. As we move into Reconciliation Week, the Year 3 students will explore some of the historical events which have led to the need for reconciliation in our country.
To complement the learning taking place in our history lessons, the students are also reading and writing about the book, ‘My Place’ by Nadia Wheatley and Donna Rawlins. Focusing on a small parcel of land, the pages tell the stories of the inhabitants of the property over two centuries, highlighting notable events and historical characters from each decade. As we travel through the years, the Year 3 students will explore the issues pertaining to each era. They will have the opportunity to read further, or take part in class discussions, about defining moments in Australia’s history including immigration, the World Wars, the Gold Rush, the arrival of the European settlers, and the significance of Indigenous connection to country.
Next semester our camp will consolidate the learning from this term’s history unit and we look forward to exploring the historical sites along the coast together.
Leanne Crole
Adam Stewart
Geelong North Division Cross Country
Well done to Mackenzie Fitzgerald, Year 4 on her efforts at the Division XCR held last Tuesday, at Eastern Gardens, Geelong.
Mackenzie finished a creditable 19th out of 54 competitors representing schools in the North Geelong Division.
Mackenzie teamed up with other CCG students from our Bellarine Campus and proved to be a wonderful representative for both our College and the Surf Coast Campus.
Congratulations Mackenzie!
Joanne Richardson
National Simultaneous Storytime
This week the whole school gathered together in the library to participate in National Simultaneous Storytime (NSS). Each year, children across Australia gather to read the same book at the same time in schools, libraries, book shops, childcare centres and many other places around the country. Last year over 2 million children participated in a NSS event. This year’s selected book was ‘The Speedy Sloth’ by Rebecca Young, illustrated by Heath McKenzie.
Prior to reading the book, the teachers were challenged to sloth trivia where they were faced with a range of questions about sloths. The students enjoyed helping the teachers answer their questions, with all of us learning that sloths not only move faster in water than on land and in trees, but a number of their internal organs are fused to their ribs so that they can breathe while hanging upside down!
We look forward to seeing what book will be selected for next year’s National Simultaneous Storytime.
Katherine Tatnell Moore
Calling all CC Eagles Members and Families
We are pleased to present an opportunity for you to be a part of CC Eagles/ Geelong United Basketball Club Fundraiser, with NBL1 tickets available for the following game through the club:
Round 10 – Hoop City Geelong United Supercats v Dandenong Rangers – Saturday June 17, 2023. Tip off: Women – 5:00pm, Men – 7:00pm (Ticket gets you in to both games at The Geelong Arena)
All PRE-ORDERED tickets will cost $10.00 with $5.00 being retained by our club.
On the night we want to see our members show up at the game in our CLUB COLOURS.
We hope that everyone embraces this opportunity to get our CC Eagles family together and support Hoop City Geelong United Supercats on the night.
How to purchase tickets:
For Christian College families: you can purchase 1- 8 tickets ($10 to $80) on credit card via the College portal.
- Log into Parent Portal – My Details – Payments Tab – Click on the NBL1 Game Day Tickets icon.
- Then click on the drop down to select how many tickets you want to purchase. The amount will automatically fill.
Important – Please include your email address in the Additional Information box.
For non-Christian College families: you can purchase tickets by calling our Middle School-Highton reception on 5241 1899 and purchasing over the phone.
Tickets can be purchased up until 11.59pm on June 13, or until SOLD OUT and will be distributed prior to the game.
If there are any queries, please email [email protected]
Foundation Golf Day 2023
Following the success of last year’s inaugural event, we are delighted to announce the Christian College Foundation Golf Day tournament for 2023.
Save the date: Thursday November 9.
We are seeking prizes for this event – if you own a local business and are interested in creating partnership opportunities with Christian College, please contact Fiona Provan on 0400 477 467, or email [email protected]
Uniform Shop Clearance Sale!
A MYTERN Thought for This Week
It’s easy to rush through a cup of tea or coffee and forget to stop and appreciate the moment.
Take time out now to simply appreciate being able to breathe in fresh air. Take a long slow breath and feel it rejuvenate every cell.
Make that your intention and watch your body smile from the inside 👍❤️
Discover more about MYTERN here
