From the Acting Principal
When Christian College Geelong started out humbly in 1980 with just five dozen students, it would have been hard to fathom that just over 40 years later the school would have approximately 2000 students on five campuses across Geelong, Bellarine and the Surf Coast. However, despite our size, and the geographical separation of campuses, there is much we have in common, first and foremost our core tenet, Seek First the Kingdom of God. And, right from its origin, Christian College has always encouraged students to recognise that they belong to a community beyond themselves and to acknowledge their God-given responsibility to contribute to the care and wellbeing of others. In Term 2, it was therefore wonderful to see our campuses mark a number of key events College-wide, including Anzac Day, East Timor Independence and National Reconciliation Week.
Given the size of our school, it’s not often we have events that draw families from all our campuses to the one event. The Annual Music Evening in October each year is one such example and our Arts Festival held in November is another. So, I was greatly encouraged by the large turnout of parents, with representation from all five of our campuses, to a whole-school initiative, the Digital Safety Forum held in the Middle School Library at Highton campus last week. The event offered an opportunity for families to freely discuss the challenges associated with ensuring the digital safety of our young people. The night included messages from our Director of Wellbeing, Kim Doherty, and Director of Digital Learning, Brendan Vanderkley as well as Victoria Police Leading Senior Constable and Youth Resource Officer, Robbie Noggler. For those parents and guardians who were unable to attend, you can catch up via a recording of the key points available via the link below.
Recording: Student Digital Safety Parent Forum
As Term 2 draws to a close and the holidays begin, I want to take this opportunity to acknowledge the incredible work of our teachers and professional support staff throughout this term in providing a quality education for our students, all the way from our Kindergartens through to Year 12. Christian College has always placed importance on both the academic and wellbeing needs of the young people in our care. Educating the next generation is certainly a privilege, but it is also a significant responsibility and undertaking, as teachers not only impart knowledge, skills and values, but also serve as mentors, role models and sources of support. I am therefore tremendously grateful for the way our teachers have faithfully committed to supporting their students, and their colleagues, throughout Term 2.
A reminder that students will be returning for the commencement of Term 3 on Monday, July 17.
Finally, may I leave you with these words of encouragement from Philippians 4:6-7. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Rick Geall, Acting Principal
When I Grow Up!
On Monday June 19, the Surf Coast Preps had their ‘When I Grow Up’ dress up day.
The students came dressed in outfits inspired by their future aspirational career and much fun was had on the day!
We had an abundance of teachers, pilots, police officers, zookeepers, builders, game designers and even a gemmologist!
The Preppies loved acting out their dream profession through many role play opportunities and proudly explained the ins and outs of their job.
We are so proud of our amazing little learners and love supporting them to dream big!
Caitlin Maher
What a Fantastic Term it has Been!
To celebrate all our hard work this term we decided to take a surprise trip down to Deep Creek. We love spending time down here as we let our creativity show through play and exploration. Many of us love building huts or working in the “mines” looking for gold, fossils and stones, while others enjoy just spending some time in nature and appreciating the beautiful scenery. Having such an incredible backyard allows us to be closer to our surroundings and also consider what life would have been like back then, closely linking with our history unit. We cannot wait to visit you again next term Deep Creek!
Nick Hogan
Who Put the Bomp in the Bomp bah Bomp bah Bomp?
Year 1s have been exploring the development of conventional music notation. What are all those dots and lines all over the page? And, who came up with the idea?
We discovered that over time humans used graphic symbols to portray particular sounds. They then refined these symbols with additional markings so that musicians would know exactly which note to play or sing; how long the sound should last, and at what speed and volume it should be performed.
Students are recognising that music is a universal language with its own written component, similar to Japanese hiragana, or Egyptian hieroglyphics. And the additional markings create tone and emphasis, just like punctuation does in English!
Here are some examples of students exploring pitch (high and low sounds), dynamics (loud, soft and everything in between), using their own graphic notation to suggest unique sound ideas.
Kate Notini
Year 3 – The end of Term is Upon us…
The end of the term has come upon us amidst a flurry of assessments, finishing off various projects, portfolio compilation, and Learning Celebration preparations. The Year 3 students have had the opportunity to look back on what they have learned so far this year, rekindling their interest in various topics, chatting about favourite activities, and sharing what they found interesting during different learning experiences.
With pride and care, the Year 3 students assembled their portfolios, thoughtfully considering the pieces they were sharing for display and discussion with their parents and other special family members. The atmosphere in the classrooms was one of joy and excitement as the students anticipated their celebration of learning conferences.
It has been a privilege to facilitate the learning conferences with the students and their families, and to witness the enthusiasm with which many children presented their work, spoke about their learning, and regaled anecdotes of memorable experiences. We hope you are as proud of your child as we are.
We trust you and your family have a safe and blessed break and we look forward to seeing you next term – don’t forget your swimming gear on the first day back!
Leanne Crole
Adam Stewart
Stemming the Tide Boat Regatta
On Monday, the Year 5 students at Surf Coast travelled to the Middle School Campus to race their boats with another group of Year 5 students. The students met at the Middle School pool where they were able to showcase the boats they have been working on for the first Semester. Students worked in their groups to share responsibility of maintenance to their boat and experience of steering and using the controls. Over the Semester the students have learnt about energy resources, buoyancy, different hull shapes, weight distribution & balance, and wiring different circuits. All of this knowledge has led to the successful design & functionality of these boats and an overall pleasing and exciting experience for the Year 5s.
Bea Greenhalgh
Year 5 – A Big Finish to Term 2
It really is hard to believe we are at the end of our second term of the year. It has absolutely flown by. The Year 5 students have been so busy in class getting everything finished and finalised before the holidays start. On Monday we travelled to the Middle School Highton campus where they had the opportunity to test the remote control boats they have been building in Stemming the Tide. This was such a fun morning. Seeing the excitement of the students as they watched their boats race through the water was awesome. It was also great to build connections with some of the Year 5 students from the Highton campus. These are connections that can be built on as our students move through to Senior School.
In Maths we have been super busy working on our Food Trucks. The students were tasked with designing and building a food truck. They had to decide on what type of food they would serve, a name and a symbol. They also needed to plan a menu for their truck. Watching the trucks come to life in the classroom was great. It was all about learning about area, perimeter and money in a way that was real and relevant.
I hope everyone has a wonderful and safe holiday.
Claire Deretic
Project Care: Supporting Geelong Food Relief Centre
Over the last 2 weeks, as part of Project Care, we have been running a food drive at our Surf Coast Campus. The aim was to help the Geelong Food Relief Centre support those in need at the moment. There are so many families in our local community, and in the wider Geelong region who are finding it difficult to put food on the table every night. It was amazing to see the generosity of our school families once again. We were able to provide a substantial amount of food that will help so many families over the next few weeks. Especially as winter and the cold weather really hits.
Thank you to all of you who donated and helped our cause.
Claire Deretic
Donations for the ‘Great Book Swap’
It’s that time of the year again! In Term 3, we will be holding our annual Book Week celebration, with festivities including a ‘Great Book Swap’ to help raise money for the Indigenous Literacy Foundation (ILF). The ILF are a charity that work to promote literacy in remote communities across Australia by providing culturally relevant books and learning resources to children and families.
To help run the ‘Great Book Swap’ stall, we rely on donations of great books in excellent condition. Should you have any books at home that are looking to be loved by someone new, there will be donation boxes in each classroom during Term 3.
We look forward to celebrating Book Week next Term!
Katherine Tatnell - Moore
Digital Safety and Wellbeing at Home
Parent and Guardian Support for the Holiday Period
It was wonderful to see and meet with so many parents from across our campuses who attended last week’s Student Digital Safety parent forum. For those parents and guardians who were unable to attend, you can catch up via a recording of the key points available via the link below.
A key message reinforced multiple times over the evening was regarding the importance of platforms and technology (such as parental controls) as well as education, engagement, and communication with young people about their online activities.
It’s common during school holiday periods, particularly during colder months, for young people to engage in more technology use for recreation and socialising with peers. As this holiday period begins, I hope that the parent and guardian resources below are helpful.
ySafe Article: ‘Modelling healthy online behaviours to children’
In this article, ySafe online safety expert Teodora Pavkovic provides seven tips and suggestions to help parents lead, model and promote positive and safe digital behaviours for all members of their household.
Qustodio Parent App
Parents are reminded that as part of the College’s Cyber Safe Schools Program, all families have access to the Qustodio Parent App to help monitor and manage children’s digital activities on school and personal devices. Parents and guardians can learn more and activate their personal account via our Online Safety Hub.
CCG Online Safety Hub
If you’re a parent or guardian seeking advice, information and guidance around any aspect of digital wellbeing, online safety and young people then the parent advice section of our CCG Online Safety Hub is a great place to start.
I hope that the above resources are of support to all our families, enabling you to engage with and support your young people in the digital space over this upcoming holiday period.
Brendan Vanderkley, Director of Digital Learning
Calling the Class of 2013!
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
