From the Principal
Engaged and Reconnected
This term has seen a great deal of positive energy and enthusiasm across our campuses. I am extremely grateful to the staff and students for the manner in which they have jointly created a happy, engaging, and exciting learning environment and culture.
The return to the fullness of learning experiences, extra curricula opportunities, House events and community events has contributed greatly to the overall positive re-engagement for our community. I am delighted that this has been the case.
Offering a Wonderful Menu
Over the past few weeks, we have provided our families with Subject Expos to assist students to make decisions and selections for their subject choices. We also took the opportunity to invite prospective families to attend the ‘Sample Our Menu’ sessions, seeing first-hand the extensive range on offer in our Junior, Middle and Senior School contexts. Attending these events provided me with a wonderful sense of gratitude and appreciation for all that our staff and subject leaders have created for our students. The rich learning opportunities are remarkable. My thanks to the campus leadership, the Executive Director of Teaching and Learning, Mr Antony Benson, the Faculty Directors, the staff, and the students involved for their collective efforts to curate and present our college program in such an extensive fashion.
Piloting and Sharing Great Learning Opportunities
We have been blessed having Harvard University Project Zero Principal Investigator Flossie Chua return to our college to work with staff on two important programs we have been piloting in partnership with other independent schools and our peak body, Independent Schools Victoria (ISV). Flossie visited our campuses two weeks ago to observe our staff and students interacting in lessons that have been trialling a framework taking ‘Ideas into Action’ using a range of strategies in a quest to translate ideas, (principles, plans, good intentions, etc.) into action on the ground. The work undertaken by the Christian College team was later shared with other partner schools where it received high praise. The ideas that our students were exploring takes their learning beyond the classroom to make an impact in our world and community, addressing environmental and social justice issues, as well as access and equity, as part of their collective focus.
Flossie returned this week to launch a new pilot program focusing on ‘Transformative Repair’, a concept both Flossie and I have shared with staff and our community on previous occasions. This project looks at how strategic and sustained engagement with transformative repair as an artistic practice, can create supportive conditions for individuals and communities to find personal and broader purpose. This is particularly relevant and applicable in times of unprecedented uncertainty and challenge and encourages us to design effective ways to “repair” communities both literally and figuratively. The team working with Flossie will be preparing a strategic launch of this project for our college in 2023. Together with the work that our Wellbeing Team are producing, this is a very timely and supportive element of our demonstrated care for our community.
Our staff are loving the unique opportunity to work with Flossie and to collaborate with staff from other schools, alongside the ISV, in this important work. It is nourishment for their practice, and a powerful encouragement toward enhancing professional growth.
Partnering With Wellbeing
I wish to highlight the incredible work currently being done by our Wellbeing Team. The framework we have shared with you previously, designed to guide our care and support programs, is now beginning to take shape. Wellbeing involves many aspects of College life, and we are addressing each aspect strategically - from developing our Pastoral Care and Chaplaincy support, to creating a ‘Community of Respect,’ and working within our curriculum to further enhance the designated Wellbeing sessions. A particular focus we want to highlight is the cyber world that our young people navigate. To that end I commend the Parent Information Evenings which will be held on both September 1st and September 8th. I strongly encourage all families to attend and to invest this hour in support of our young people and our community. The evenings are planned to create a partnership, allowing us to work together in this complex environment, for the benefit of our students. Please register and come along. I look forward to seeing you there.
Reconciliation Action
Yesterday, I had the privilege to meet with the committee working to establish our college Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP). Since 2006, RAPs have enabled organisations to sustainably and strategically take meaningful action to advance reconciliation around core principles of relationships, respect, and opportunities together to support our journey with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The committee will be co-chaired by students and consists of representatives from our parent community, staff, our College Board, and myself. We have incredible support from Taryn Marks, our advisor, who is mentoring and guiding us to develop a meaningful RAP which will support us as a community, fostering shared conversation and future direction, as we seek to grow in our awareness and knowledge.
Providing Important Feedback
Families will have received an email invitation from ISV Data to complete LEAD Surveys - part of our way of reflecting upon our practice, processes, and culture. This feedback is benchmarked and used to monitor longitudinal data and trends which can assist us with our strategic and operational planning. I would appreciate as many families as possible responding to the survey to ensure that we capture a valid sample of responses. Staff as well as students at some year levels will also participate in this survey. It is important to hear both positive and constructive feedback. I hear parents say that they chose not to complete the survey because they are happy with the College, but we would appreciate hearing that information through the collected data. To gain a represented perspective from all college stakeholders, we would appreciate a larger sample of contributions to this survey.
A Seat in the Room where it Happens
I was invited to participate in a roundtable conversation at Parliament House in Canberra last Friday, called by the Federal Minister for Education Jason Clare MP. The meeting was attended by all the State and Territory Education Ministers and representatives from all education sectors, teacher unions and tertiary institutions. The focus of the meeting was to address the issue of teacher workforce shortages, and matters relating to initial teacher education, and the demands and conditions that impact teachers. As a community we need to seek solutions to these concerning issues.
It was a privilege for me to be afforded a voice to speak on behalf of my independent school colleagues and the communities we lead and care for. It was refreshing to witness time being invested by our ministers from across the nation to listen to our voice. There is much work to be done, but I left with a deep sense of hope, seeing our leaders presenting a genuine appetite to address the fact that the teaching profession needs to receive greater respect and support to best meet the complex needs of the young people in our schools today and in the future.
As always, I continue to hold my colleagues in education in high esteem, and I remain grateful for the significant and vital work they do each day in their classrooms, and throughout the broader community. They invest generously in the lives of students and indeed families. I look forward to further conversations and action plans addressing the delivery of collective support for the important work done by Teachers.
As Nelson Mandela said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” Education is the key to eliminating gender inequality, to reducing poverty, to creating a sustainable planet, to preventing needless deaths and illness, and to fostering peace.
Why wouldn’t we support and respect our teachers?
It begins with each of us. I believe in the power of education and in the shared partnership that we enjoy with students, families, and the College - working together with purpose to make the world a better place and to see humankind flourishing. We each have a responsibility to value and support one another in this process.
To conclude, I offer one more quote from Nelson Mandela; “We can change the world and make it a better place. It is in your hands to make a difference.”
Glen McKeeman, Principal
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 3 2022
Week 7
Tuesday 23rd Aug Beach Prep
Tuesday 23rd Aug Clean the beach visit (Front beach) – Year 1
Friday 26th Aug Book week parade – All Years – 9am start
Friday 26th Aug Year 2 swimming
Friday 26th Aug East Timor Trivia Night – 6.30pm Geelong
Week 8
Tuesday 30th Aug Bush Prep
Tuesday 30th Aug “See Week” – Year 1
Thursday 01st Sept Footy Colors Day – all day
Thursday 01st Sept Father’s Night – 4.30pm – 6pm
Friday 02nd Sept Father’s Day Stall – 11.30am
Friday 02nd Sept BLS Clubs
Friday 02nd Sept Year 2 swimming
Week 9
Wednesday 06th Sept Indigenous Literacy Day – All Year Levels
Thursday 8th Sept RUOK Day
Friday 09th Sept Assembly
Friday 09th Sept Year 2 swimming
Week 10
Tuesday 13th Sept Science Expo – All Year Levels
Thursday 15th Sept Visit to Spring Creek for 2nd Observations – Year 1
Friday 16th Sept BLPS Clubs
Friday 16th Sept Last Day of Term – dismissal at 2.30pm
Hello and Good Morning, Afternoon or Evening!
It has been a whirlwind of a term and we are on the downhill run to the end of term!
One of the exciting recent happenings here in the chaplaincy space has been the Season for Growth program starting again! We have got underway with a wonderful group of students and it’s been special to watch relationships form as stories are shared in a fun and safe place.
I have recently been reflecting on the value of 1 on 1 time for children and parents, like a Dad & daughter date etc. I’m not a parent yet, so I can’t speak from that space, but I can speak from the space that most of us can relate to, and that’s being a child. I remember two of my fondest memories as a child were my Dad sitting at the end of our bed at night, reading us a story and then letting us talk about our days. The other memory was going to the dump with my Dad. This might sound really weird, but the reason it is a fond memory is because I loved spending time with my Dad. We would fill the trailer and go and dump whatever rubbish off and then my Dad would look through some of the items that weren’t worthy of dumping and maybe needed some love and he would then buy it and it would come home with us. And if I was lucky, I’d maybe get a Cookie Time or Peanut Slab as a treat. While I didn’t enjoy the actual dump (and was always hopeful for that special treat), that time was time we had together. And having Dad sit on my bed listening as I chattered about the day, that is something I hope to do one day too.
All that to say, I just wanted to encourage us to never underestimate the time spent 1 on 1 with a child, either regularly or spontaneously. It’ll create lasting memories and even traditions that will be cherished for years to come!
Have a blessed day!
Nathan Pratt
Reserve Your Place!
Wellbeing Evening and Cyber Safe Schools Program Launch
We enjoyed a fantastic night with the parents, families, students and staff attending the first Digital Wellbeing Evening held at our Senior School Campus last night, Thursday 1st September. If you have not yet taken the opportunity to reserve your place at the second and final of our two nights, please save the date and reserve your place now! We would love to see you there. We encourage you to take a few minutes to view the video below to find out more about this important event. The evening will be presented at our Bellarine Campus next Thursday 8th September starting at 7pm. We expect to run for about 45 minutes, finishing with time for questions and a cuppa together.
We ask all Parents and Families to share their attending intentions with us via our online RSVP Response Form. Please access the form by clicking the image or link below.
https://forms.office.com/r/QwN6TXBE41
Brendan Vanderkley
We are off to the Zoo!
What a wonderful day it was when the whole Surf Coast Campus boarded a bus and headed to the Werribee Free Range Zoo. This term our students across all year levels have been studying Biological Science during their Integrated Studies and Inquiry units. To assist with the learning during these units all year levels travelled to the Werribee Free Range Zoo for an excursion.
The children loved their ride on the Safari Bus where they got to see giraffes, zebras, rhinos, and ostriches. On their walking tour the children loved the lions. Meerkats, hippos, cheetahs and gorillas.
Many memories were made and the children thoroughly enjoyed spending time together.
Debbie Riddle, Campus Coordinator
Prep Zoo Recounts
On Thursday of this week, the Preppies, along with the whole Surf Coast campus, went on an excursion to the Werribee Zoo!
In Integrated Studies, the Preps have been learning about different animal habitats and what the needs of animals are. The students were very eager to meet all the animals and see what their enclosures contained for them to survive and live happily.
After the excursion, the Preps were so excited to share their incredible Zoo experience by writing a detailed recount. In their writing, the Preps were encouraged to use adjectives to describe their favorite zoo animals, and to ensure their writing followed correct sequence, starting with the beginning, middle and end of the day.
Our budding writers were so proud of the effort they put into their Zoo recounts and loved reading them out loud to their classmates.
Debbie Riddle, Campus Coordinator
Caitlin Maher
Pitch Perfect Preps!
With our young musicians beginning to conquer the elements of beat, rhythm and dynamics, the Surf Coast Preps have now started to explore the concept of pitch (high and low sounds, and everything in between!).
The Preppies have been studying the major scale, and have enjoyed internalising the sequence of notes using Kodaly hand signs, which is a bit like musical sign language. They have also been introduced to the early stages of pitch notation, decoding visual patterns and transferring these ideas onto the classroom xylophones.
These foundations pave the way for students developing their musical literacy, and often lead to long term skills such as melody writing and instrumental playing.
Kate Notini
Year 1 – an Abundance of Learning
This week Year 1 enjoyed integrating an abundance of learning. The excited students took action to create candy-stained glass salt dough displays promoting the importance of the RSPCA. These activities explored the theme of 2022’s Science Week – glass. The idea of creating a display promoting RSPCA linked in with our science inquiry line – what impacts an animal’s chance to thrive? Year 1 is super eager to continue to build our items to display in our Term 3 Science Expo and we can’t wait to continue to learn as much as we can about animals, habitats, and ecosystems. We want to care for all living creatures!
Nick Hogan
Tracy McDonald
Year 2 – Plants and Wordle
Green shoots and tiny leaves are sprouting as our bean plants start to grow. Excited students are measuring how tall their bean shoots have grown using blocks to measure their height. Some shoots have sprouted up tall and others are just starting to pop their heads up from the soil. Students are carefully recording the growth and changes they observe in their beans.
Enthusiastically, Year 2s are puzzling their way through the daily online Wordle quiz. They use their extensive knowledge of long and short vowels, digraphs, trigraphs and sounds that often blend to work out the combinations of possible letters. Once the first letter is discovered, the dictionaries come out and students pore over the possibilities. A cheer erupts when the word is successfully worked out and the countdown begins as we wait for tomorrow’s Wordle to be released. What is your best winning streak and success rate?
Sharon Sutton
Leanne Crole
Year 4 investigations
This week has been all about investigating in Year 4. The students are becoming experts on an Australian endangered animal of their choice.
They have been looking at the habitats of these animals, what has caused them to become extinct and how we can help.
Going to the Werribee Open Range Zoo yesterday was an amazing day. Both to be out with our whole school, and to also see some of our animals in their habitats. It was just a fantastic day.
We have also been looking at what it means to have a growth mindset, and how we can use this in our everyday life.
Claire Deretic
Book Week Parade and Great Book Swap
Just a friendly reminder that Friday 26th of August is our annual Book Week celebration day, when students are encouraged to dress up as a favourite book character.
Festivities and parade will commence from 9am, families welcome.
As a special treat this year we shall be kicking off the festivities with a surprise performance from the Surf Coast teaching staff based on a well-known book.
This year on our Book Week celebration day, we will also be holding a Great Book Swap to help raise money for the Indigenous Literacy Foundation who work to provide books and resources to Indigenous children and families in remote communities.
We are currently accepting book donations to build an exciting stall for our Great Book Swap. We would love to accept any children’s books that are in good condition for our stall. On the day, for a gold coin donation, students will be able to choose a new book to take home with all proceeds given to the ILF.
Please send along any book donations by Wednesday 24th August.
Katherine Moore
LEAD Surveys
A reminder to all College families – you will have received an email invitation from Independent Schools Victoria Data to complete LEAD Surveys - part of our way of reflecting upon our practice, processes, and culture. Staff and students at some year levels are also invited to participate.
We highly value both positive and constructive feedback and rely on the data collected from these surveys to assist with operational and strategic planning. To this end, we would encourage and ask as many families as possible to respond to the survey to ensure we are working with an accurate representation of perspectives. The closing date for surveys is a week from today – please consider participating if you have not done so already. Thank you.
Camp Australia Staff Recruitment
Camp Australia, the nationally recognised leader in Outside School Hours Care, is seeking new team members - please click on the link to the poster below:
Scholarship Applications for 2024 Entry now Open!
Each year we offer Academic Excellence Scholarships for entry at Year 5 (Middle School-Highton, Bellarine and Surf Coast campuses); Year 7 (Middle School-Highton and Bellarine); and Year 10 (Senior School-Waurn Ponds).
These scholarships have been designed primarily to encourage and support new and current students who wish to attend Christian College and who demonstrate high levels of academic excellence.
We are now seeking scholarship applications for entry at any of those year levels in 2024.
For more information, and to apply, please see our website. Use the hotlink from our homepage or click here
Applications close on Thursday September 29. The examination date is Saturday October 8.
East Timor Trivia Night
Golf Tournament
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: The Foundation Golf Tournament
A MYTERN Thought for This Week
Language influences thinking. So, if you want to change your thinking patterns, then you need to change your language. MYTERN provides that language. Start simply. Changing "bad and good" to "rough and smooth" reduces the judgement you have towards yourself and others. Even such a small change has proven to be life changing 😊👍
Discover more about MYTERN here.
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