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 2023
Week 9
Monday 11 September Gymnastics – Selected Days – More information to come
Tuesday 12 September Discovery Learning – Prep Students
Wednesday 13 September Middle School Music Camp – Information sent from Music Department on 11 August – Selected Students Only
Thursday 14 September R U OK? Day
Friday 15 September Last Day of Term 3 – 2.30pm Dismissal
Delightful Dioramas and Amazing Animals!
On Wednesday, our Preps were thrilled to present their habitat dioramas, complete with miniature plasticine animal models and accompanying posters to their families and the Surf Coast community as part of the campus-wide Science Expo. Over the course of the term, our Preps each selected an animal to investigate and researched their needs, habitat, diet and physical make up. We discussed similarities and differences of the animals and discovered some incredible facts about them: Did you know that some female turtle species return to the exact beach that they were born at to lay their eggs and bury them in nests to remain safe until they hatch? Did you know that some male penguin species balance their eggs on their feet and cover them with their feathered brood pouch for two months to keep them safe until they hatch? Wow!
Our Preps also enjoyed discovering what the students in the other year levels had presented as part of the Science Expo, with some of the Preps commenting:
“My favourite was the Ooblek”
“I liked the magnet maze”
“I loved everything”
“I thought the Skittles experiment was so fun”
“My favourite thing was the marble run”
What a fantastic afternoon of celebration!
Animals and Their Habitats
The Year 1s had an excellent time this week presenting their information reports to loads of people. They spent lots of time researching, drafting, and publishing a massive information report about their chosen animal. They also linked their findings across the curriculum and made a bar graph showing what their animal eats. The students also went through a long process of making clay models of their animals. They made their skeletons with paper, wrapped them in foil and then finally, modelled the clay around their foundation. Once dried, students carefully painted their animal. The Year 1s had an excellent time presenting their findings to their family and friends!
May the Force be With you!
Year 4 students recently started a new unit of study in Integrated Studies on Forces. We travelled to Science Works with the Year 2 students and explored the powers of gravity, friction and magnetism. The students were given the challenge of creating a model roller coaster complete with loop the loop.
We have transferred our learning to the classroom to make magnet mazes. The students were challenged to use a pizza box and straws to create a maze and then use the magnet underneath the box to lead a ball bearing through the maze. The next challenge was to create a marble run using the materials provided that would run for 30 seconds with the marble ending up in a container on the floor. Thirty seconds may have been far too ambitious but we sure had fun!
Science Expo
Our annual Science Expo took place this week, and it was an incredible showcase of the scientific curiosity and creativity of our young learners. The event featured a wide range of learning and projects from students Prep through Year 5, covering various fields of science. Parents and families were invited to witness the impressive displays of scientific knowledge and enthusiasm exhibited by our budding scientists. The success of the Science Expo is a testament to the dedication of our teachers and the passion of our students for the world of science. We believe that fostering an early interest in science will help our students become critical thinkers, problem solvers, and innovators of the future.
Thank you to all the parents who joined us to observe and celebrate the learning journey of our students.
Gymnastics at Surf Coast Campus
To finish off another wonderful term of P.E., students are undertaking a Gymnastics program as part of the Physical Education curriculum.
Students welcomed gymnastics coach, Kerry Woods from ‘Head Over Heels Gymnastics’. Kerry has been a part of our school’s gymnastics program for many years, and it is great to have her coaching skills and expertise with us at Surf Coast again.
With safety rules, warm-ups and explanations covered, students were soon flipping, rolling and jumping around numerous stations involving different apparatus and activities.
The activities involve use of various apparatus to develop gymnastic skills such as balance beam walks, forward and backward rolls on foam wedges, star and tuck jumps on mini tramps as well as front supports, leaps, cartwheels, hand stands and arabesques.
Students in years 4 and 5 are working on a routine made up of eight elements, to perform as part of their assessment.
We are looking forward to our final sessions next week working with Kerry to improve our flexibility, strength and coordination.
Threads and Textiles
It has been all about Threads and Textiles at Surf Coast for the past four weeks in Art. The students have learnt about what materials are made of and where they come from and how different fabrics are made and printed. The students have used a variety of different fabrics and threads to create some beautiful pieces including butterfly weaves, God’s eye weave, textured embroidery landscapes, dying fabric, embroidery letters, plush toys and fabric collages. It takes a lot of patience, a keen eye and lots of practice but the students have worked beautifully to create such wonderful Art!
Deakin District Athletics Championships
Congratulations to our Surf Coast representatives at the Deakin District Athletics Carnival held on August 24.
All our students enjoyed participating and competing against students from schools in our District.
We had 13 students competing in both track and field events throughout the day and we congratulate Mackenzie Fitzgerald on her second place in the 9/10-year female 100m event. As a result, Mackenzie progressed onto the Geelong North Division Athletics Championships held last Tuesday and placed a creditable third in her heat.
Well done to the following students for your efforts and the way you conducted yourself throughout the day.
Avery Bowyer, Leia Coleman, Mackenzie Fitzgerald, Camilla Rau, Verushka Digwa, Jack Byrne, Rafferty Burchell, Darcee Dunoon, Tom Burnell, Koa Long, Ava Rice, Kai Digenis and Guy Sossin.
Footy Colours Day at Surfcoast
This week the students at Surfcoast got to show their true colours!! They came to school on Thursday in the colours of their favourite football team. We had supporters of soccer, AFL clubs, both local and major teams.
It was wonderful to see the whole campus get behind our
Footy Colours Day, with all money raised going to the Fight Cancer Foundation. This is a wonderful foundation that supports families and helps them stay together while they are helping a child who is battling cancer.
To help with our fundraising today we also had party pies for lunch. Footy and pies, there is no better combination.
Thank you to all or our families for your support with our Project Care Program here at our Surfcoast Campus. Our students are being given the opportunities to see the beyond their own little world and how they can help those around them.
Spring Into Strings!
Last night, the Junior String ensembles from Bellarine, Surf Coast and Junior School campuses gathered together at the RW Gibson Centre to celebrate the beginning of Spring with our annual performance event-'Spring into Strings'.
The evening was an excellent showcase of the String playing taking place in our Junior Schools, and a wonderful opportunity for the ensembles to perform for each other and their families. We were also graced with an enchanting performance from the Bellarine Ceilidh Band, before all students combined to form a massed String Ensemble which presented two pieces and an encore for their captive audience.
There were many excited and nervous young musicians at the start of the night, but it was amazing to see these young people focus and perform with such aplomb-well done to all!
Thanks to our accompanists Tammy Treloar and Stephanie Lawrence, as well as the string teaching staff- Cecilia Bell, Rebecca Bertoncello, Catie Martin and Miriam Bell.
College 2024 Production Announcement
Christian College Geelong Presents...
CINDERELLA (BROADWAY VERSION)
Music by Richard Rodgers Lyrics and Original Book by Oscar Hammerstein II New Book by Douglas Carter Beane
The Music and Drama Departments are excited to return to our tradition of staging the biannual CCG cross campus musical in 2024. Our Cinderella will take to the stage of the Playhouse Theatre at the newly developed Geelong Arts Centre on May 2 – 4, 2024.
Not your everyday fairy tale…
This Broadway adaptation of the classic musical features new characters, a hilarious libretto, surprising twists, and a wonderful score from Rodgers & Hammerstein. This contemporary take on the classic tale features Rodgers & Hammerstein's most beloved songs, including “In My Own Little Corner,” “Impossible/It's Possible” and “Ten Minutes Ago.”
You can visit the Origin Theatrical website for more about this magical show, including song excerpts and a Montage of the Original Broadway Cast.
Some preliminary information for families and students
There are many details for families and students to know prior to fully committing to performing in the production. Students who are successful in being offered a place in the show will be required to attend every rehearsal on their schedule to maintain their place in the cast. This initial announcement is to be followed with more details for those who are interested in participating. Expressions of interest will be taken in early Term 4 via auditions.
All students wishing to audition will be required to sing a song from music theatre and also read a small section of script (unseen). Students wishing to be considered for a lead role are advised to sing a song in the style of the character they wish to be considered. Students with dance experience will be considered favourably for certain roles but must also sing. Please see the character descriptions here.
Cinderella Character Descriptions
Students wishing to audition may enjoy having the holiday break to find that perfect song and practise it to perfection! It is important for students to understand that there is a limited number of positions available in the cast, with fewer places for students in the lower year levels. The production teachers urge students to remain positive and keep honing their skills for the next opportunity, if they miss out on this show.
Auditions will be held across the Bellarine, Surf Coast, Highton and Senior campuses from October 16 – 26. At the start of Term 4 students will be notified of the process and invited to sign up for auditions at their campus.
Students who will be in Years 6 – 12 in 2024 are being invited to audition.
Rehearsals will be held at the Senior Campus RW Gibson Music Performance Centre on Thursdays 4.00 – 6.30pm, and Sundays 2.30 – 5.30pm. There will also be nominated full day rehearsals on student free days/some Sundays and production week during Sunday April 28th – Saturday May 4th.
Traditionally the production team would cast around 80 students, with an additional 15 to be invited to play in the orchestra pit. The production also provides opportunities for senior students to undertake backstage and technical roles. There are many opportunities for parents of students involved to support the students and staff, the event provides a wonderful opportunity for our community to work together to achieve something very special.
Looking forward to a wonderful show experience for our students and community in 2024!

Christian College Snowsport
In Week 6 of this term Christian College Geelong competed in the Victorian Interschool Snowsport Competition. Twenty-six students, ranging from Year 1 through to Year 12, competed in both snowboarding and skiing competitions. Whilst the snow conditions this year weren’t as good as past competitions, both competitors and families had a fantastic time enjoying the opportunity to spend time together whilst refining their skiing and snowboarding prowess.
If you have not been a part of this competition before and would like to register your interest for the 2024 Victorian Interschool Snowsport Competition, please contact the Senior Campus.

The Christian College Sport Hall of Honour
We are proud to announce a new initiative, which will become an important tradition in the life of our College – the Sport Hall of Honour – to recognise and celebrate the outstanding achievements of our past students who have reached national or international status in their chosen sports.
On October 5, we welcome our inaugural inductees to the Sport Hall of Honour – ex-students, Gary Ablett Jr and Tegan Philip. Both are universally recognised as champions at the highest level in their respective sports – AFL football and netball.
You are invited to join us for this gala dinner event at Mt Duneed Estate. On the night, we will also honour a cohort of current students as ‘Rising Eagles’ for their outstanding achievements in their chosen sports, putting them on a pathway to perhaps achieve the type of success required to enter our Sport Hall of Honour in future years.
The night also presents the perfect opportunity to award, for the first time ever, the ‘Gary Ablett Jr’ and ‘Tegan Philip’ medals to the students named as MVP of our Senior Male Football team and Senior Female Netball team from this year’s GISSA Championships.
For more information and to purchase tickets to the October 5 event, please visit our website.
The Hall of Honour will be a permanent display within our school, displaying the names, images and achievements of our extraordinary sports stars. This will not only inspire our current students but also serve as a testament to the values and dedication instilled within them during their time at Christian College.
We encourage our College community to join us in celebrating those who have pursued their gifts and passions to an extraordinary level of success. While one of the criteria for induction to the Sport Hall of Honour is that individuals have retired from their sport professionally or at the very highest level, if you are aware of any past students who have achieved, or are achieving, national or international recognition in sport, please reach out to our Sports Administrator Matthew Murnane [email protected] with any relevant information.
Scholarship Applications are Now Open!
Each year Christian College offers Academic Excellence Scholarships for entry at Year 5, 7 and 10 levels. Applications are now open for this year’s scholarships, which apply to entry in 2025, at three campuses – Middle School-Highton, Bellarine Campus and Surf Coast Campus.
Year 10 entry applies to Senior School-Waurn Ponds only.
To find out more, and to apply, visit our website and look for the homepage hotlink, or click here.
Scholarship applications are open to students who do not currently attend Christian College, as well as those who are currently enrolled here. Scholarship examinations will be held at Christian College on Saturday October 7. Closing date for applications is Thursday, September 28.

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