From the Executive Principal

I have been thinking about the theme of growth this week. In the Junior years, we have celebrated 100 days of learning for our prep students this week. As they were having fun dressing up like old people to celebrate their 100th anniversary, I reflected on how far they have come, and how much they have grown this year. I have seen these young learners grow in confidence, in literacy and numeracy skills, in imagination and in sense of self over the course of the year. I can’t wait to see where their learning journey takes them next.

The theme of growth was also present for our middle school students this week.  Yesterday I saw a group of Year 9 students prepare for their upcoming Geelong Outdoor and Environmental Studies (GEOS) hike at Wilson’s Promontory – what a wonderful opportunity for these students to grow in resilience. Resilience is such an important skill for our young people; it involved the capacity to cope with setbacks, learn from difficulties, and adapt positively to change. It doesn’t mean being unaffected by stress or challenges, but rather developing the emotional strength to respond and recover. The problem is that resilience doesn’t develop overnight; it grows through repeated exposure to challenge with meaningful support. We can think of resilience as if it is a muscle, and like all muscles, it needs exercise. That is why we do things like camps and outdoor education adventures to help our students build their resilience muscles so that they can grow into confident, capable adults.

What’s Happening at Surf Coast?

TERM  3 2025

WEEK 4

Monday 11 August       –      Prep – Year 4 Gymnastics commences, during PE Lessons

                                            –      Science Week

                                            –      Surf Coast – Premiers Spelling Bee Year 3 – 7 Selected Students                       

Friday 15 August           –      Year 1 Simple Machine Excursion   

                           –      Official Opening of Surf Coast Campus Innovation Centre 9.15am – Year 5 – 7

                           –      Prep Discovery Learning – Period 1 & 2    

🎉 Preps Celebrate 100 Days of School 🎉

What an achievement! Our Prep students celebrated their 100th day of school on Thursday with an exciting and memorable day filled with joy, creativity, activities, dancing and lots of laughter!

The day began with a buzz of excitement as students arrived dressed as if they were 100 years old – complete with walking sticks, glasses and grey hair! Our Preppies participated in a variety of fun-filled activities, beginning with a dance party with glow sticks to celebrate their learning so far. They even showed off their best grandma and grandpa dance moves, much to everyone’s delight!

After our dance party, students gathered to enjoy a special story about 100 days of school which highlighted their journey and achievements over the past 100 days, making them feel proud of how far they’ve come.

Year 2 Update

Over the past few weeks, our Year 2 students have been enthusiastically diving deep into the magical world of Fairy Tales. They’ve explored a wide range of classic stories, examining key elements such as characters, settings, problems, and resolutions. Building on this understanding, they’ve been experimenting with ‘fracturing’ these tales—creatively altering components to invent their own unique versions. From swapping out traditional heroes for unexpected protagonists to imagining entirely new settings and surprising endings, their ideas have been incredibly imaginative and original!

This week, the students began planning and drafting their very own fractured fairy tales. It’s been wonderful to see their confidence and creativity shine through in their writing. Over the coming weeks, we’re looking forward to guiding them through the editing and publishing process, including illustrating their stories to bring their narratives to life. We can’t wait to share their fantastic work with you soon!

Visiting the Middle Ages

This week, students journeyed back to the Middle Ages to uncover the immense influence of the Church during that time. From daily routines to major decisions, we explored how religion shaped every corner of medieval life. The Church wasn’t just a place of worship, it was a powerful institution that held sway over kings, communities, and culture.

We were thrilled to welcome Mia Kafieris, our Dean of Culture, who brought the topic to life with her deep knowledge and engaging insights. Her visit sparked thoughtful discussions and helped students connect to the content.

In a creative twist, students designed their own stained-glass windows. An iconic feature of medieval churches. These vibrant artworks weren’t just decorative but told stories from scripture and history at a time when most people couldn’t read. Their grandeur symbolised strength, divine authority, and the Church’s central role in society. The students’ designs reflected both imagination and a strong grasp of the symbolism behind the glass.

It was a week of reflection, creativity, and cultural discovery—one that truly illuminated the past!

Naga High School Visit

On Wednesday, we had a visit from our friends at Naga High School in Japan. They have been our sister school for over thirty years. This year three teachers and 32 students have been lucky enough to come to Victoria and visit all of the CCG campuses. They came at recess and had a play with the students on the playground and showed off the spectacular soccer skills! After recess, they came to the two prep classes and showed the students how to do special tricks on a traditional Japanese toy called a Kendama. The preps then made their own Kendama with a little help from their new friends and also had their names written in Japanese script and decorated. Some of the children chose to try on traditional Japanese kimono and looked wonderful! There was a lot of playing chasey, soccer and general fun on the playground after our craft. A big arigatou to Helen and Mrs. Riddle for supplying a mountain of Tim Tams and other delicious snacks for afternoon tea. I think all the students had a lovely, relaxed time together and learnt lots from each other.

Book Week Celebration Day and ‘Great Book Swap’ Book Donations

Last call for book donations! On our annual Book Week Celebration Day, students will have the opportunity to visit the ‘Great Book Swap’ book stall to help raise money for the Indigenous Literacy Foundation (ILF). The ILF are a charity that works 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 are donation boxes in each classroom ready to accept them.

What books can I donate?

• Books that are in excellent condition
• Books that you love and think others would enjoy reading
• Books that are appropriate to student age and reading level

Weekly Sports Wrap-Up Across All Year Levels

It’s been a busy start to the term for sport across the school, with students from Prep to Year 7 showcasing their skills, teamwork, and passion for physical activity.

Year 7 Pickleball & Year 5/6 Pickleball Tournament
Pickleball fever swept through the upper years, with Year 7s diving learning the game as part of their Physical Education classes. The Year 5/6 tournament has brought out the team spirit, strategy, coordination and fun, with all players giving their best.

Year 7 Interschool Basketball Competitions
The Year 7 interschool basketball teams had a stellar week in the GISSA Basketball competitions:

• DIV 1 Boys dominated with a strong win against Covenant College.
• DIV 2 Boys edged out a nail-biting victory by just one point against Geelong Baptist College.
• Girls Team may not have taken the win against Geelong Baptist College, but their teamwork and determination were outstanding.

Year 7 Systems Engineering Launches at Surf Coast Campus

A new and exciting subject—Systems Engineering—has officially launched for Year 7 students at Surf Coast campus. This hands-on course introduces students to the world of robotics and coding, encouraging them to think creatively and solve real-world problems through technology.

Students are already diving into projects that combine mechanical design with programming, building robotic creations that perform a variety of tasks. From simple automated movements to more complex sensor-driven actions, the classroom is buzzing with innovation and teamwork.

The subject aims to develop foundational skills in engineering systems, problem-solving, and digital literacy, preparing students for future STEM opportunities. With a focus on practical learning and collaboration, Systems Engineering is quickly becoming a favourite among students eager to explore how technology shapes our world.

Stay tuned for more updates as our young engineers continue to build, code, and create!

Community Prayer Group

Navigating the Social Media Ban

Online Parent Forum on Support for Children and Young People

With a national ban on social media use for under 16s set to take effect this December, many families may be navigating some uncertainty about how this change will impact their child/children. To support our community, Christian College is hosting an online Parent Forum on the evening of Tuesday, September 9th, exploring the upcoming social media ban, the impacts on young people, and how schools and families can partnership together to navigate the changes and promote consistent, positive messaging around safe and supportive digital engagement. Please keep an eye out for more information regarding our forum soon.

Spotlight on Wellbeing

E-Safety
A student’s safety is of the upmost importance including when a student is online. It is important to know what to look out for, how to support students navigating the online world and to ensure that they have a positive online experience. It is essential for our students to be educated in appropriate online behaviour and how to navigate this when it occurs from others. It is beneficial for students to utilize their student device to support the college in ensuring online safety.

Our college has a number of relevant parent resources that include information for even popular games including Roblox, navigating social media and recommendations if concerns arise.

Please see below available resources the College has to offer:

Qustodio Parent App as part of our school program, that assists parents to monitor and manage their child's device use and activity online at home. There is more information on the Online Safety Hub about Qustodio. 

Join Our Growing Kinder Community at Butterfield House in 2026! 🌟

We are excited to announce that, due to high demand, we’ve added an extra 4-Year-Old Kinder group for 2026! 🙌

Even better – two of our groups now offer 19 hours of kinder across 3 full days each week, giving children plenty of time to learn, play, and nurture their curiosity in nature. 🌿

At Butterfield House, we pride ourselves on being an Exceeding rated service that fosters each child’s growth through a caring, play based program rich in nature play and discovery.

📞 Spaces are limited so please call 5264 6803 to find out more.

The Foundation Golf Day - Only 20 Places Left!

Calling golfers of all abilities! You are cordially invited to make a team and join us for a round of golf at the Christian College Foundation Golf Day on Friday October 17, 2025 at The Sands Torquay.  But be quick, only 20 spots remain! This event is proudly sponsored by AECS (Australian Environmental Cleaning Services).

It’s not only a great day to have fun and meet people, but also an important annual tournament to raise money for the Christian College Geelong Foundation that supports families in their greatest time of need by providing them with life-changing educational opportunities.

Set on a sleek and modern premium 18-hole championship golf course designed by Stuart Appleby, known for its challenging layout and coastal views, it’s characterised by undulating fairways, numerous bunkers, and a strong connection to its natural surroundings.

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 are plenty of prizes up for grabs, including a cash prize of $30,000. Score a Hole in One on a selected hole* and you can win.

You will also be treated to a delicious buffet lunch and learn more about the incredible work of the Christian College Foundation.

Academic Excellence Scholarships – Applications are Open!

Each year, Christian College offers a number of Academic Excellence Scholarships. These are open to both current Christian College students, and to students currently attending other schools. Please note, this year some key aspects of these scholarships have changed from previous years.

Scholarship applications are now invited from any student for entry at Years 5 to 11 – in 2026 or 2027. When applying, you will be asked to nominate which calendar year of entry to Christian College you are interested in.

If you are interested in applying for a scholarship entry in 2026, applications are open to students currently in Years 4 through to 10.

If you are interested in applying for a scholarship entry in 2027, applications are open to students currently in Years 3 through to 9.

Further details are available, and applications can be submitted, on our website. Click on the Scholarships hotlink on our homepage, or go directly to the page by clicking here.

Applications close at 5pm on Thursday 16 October.

Scholarship testing will be conducted at Christian College Geelong on Saturday 25 October.

CC Eagles Basketball – Summer 2025/26 Season

Do you have a keen basketball player in your family? Or are you new to basketball and want to know more?

As one of the largest Basketball Clubs in Geelong, the Bellarine and Surf Coast, the CC Eagles is able to provide the appropriate competition for all our players, with a wide range of levels and age groups for any gender. In Geelong we play in two separate competitions:

• The Club Competition – This is as “Under Age” system, with the age for the season being taken as at 31st December, 2026. i.e. Under 10, Under 12
• The Schools Competition – This is for boys and girls of primary school age and teams are based on the players year level in 2026

The Club and School competitions are not exclusive to students from Christian College. We welcome all players at all levels of ability to join the CC Eagles.

The Geelong United basketball season runs over Term 4, 2025 and Term 1, 2026. We are currently inviting current and prospective players for the Geelong competition to attend either a “Bring a Friend” session or Club Trials, as per the following schedule. All sessions will be held at the Christian College Highton SAC.

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.