From the Executive Principal

Hats Off to Teachers 

Today is World Teachers’ Day, a day when we proudly tip our hats to the incredible educators and staff who make our school a truly special place. The theme, “Hats Off to Teachers,” is more than a celebration; it is a heartfelt recognition of the people who shape our children’s lives every single day. 

What sets our school apart is simple, yet profound: every child is known, seen, and heard. This isn’t just a philosophy; it is a lived reality, thanks to the dedication of our teachers and staff who go above and beyond to ensure every student feels valued and supported. Just this week I heard another story of a student who left our school to explore seemingly greener pastures elsewhere, only to return a year later, because there was just not the same level of personal connection at the other school. 

Our gratitude today also doesn’t stop at the classroom door. It is in the warm greetings from our bus drivers, who start a child’s day with a smile. It is in the welcoming presence of our reception staff, who make every visitor feel at home. It is in the quiet, essential work of our maintenance team, who care for the spaces where learning and laughter happen. And it is in the countless acts of kindness and care from every staff member in between. Together, they create a school environment where children thrive, academically emotionally, spiritually and socially. 

So, as we celebrate World Teachers’ Day, we invite you to join us in saying thank you. Next time you see a teacher, a staff member, or a bus driver, take a moment to acknowledge their impact. A simple “thank you” can go a long way in reminding them that their work matters, and that it is deeply appreciated. 

What’s Happening at Surf Coast?

Term 4, WEEK 5

Tuesday 4 November – Orientation Day

Tuesday 4 November – Cross Campus Drum Evening

Wednesday 5 November – Cross Campus Guitar Evening

Thursday 6 November – Lunchtime Concert, Instrumental Students, Surf Coast Stadium

Thursday 6 November – Surf Coast Art Show

Thursday 6 November – Cross Campus Guitar Evening 2

Friday 7 November – Prep to Year 4 Service

Seasons and Seasonal Changes

Year 1 students have been busy exploring their topic Seasons and Seasonal Changes. They have learned about the four seasons and how weather, plants, and animals change throughout the year. The students have enjoyed reading stories and information texts about the seasons, discussing characters, and sharing ideas. They have created detailed, colourful artwork showing seasonal scenes. Through fun science activities, students will observe temperature and weather changes. The children have shown great curiosity and enthusiasm while developing their reading, speaking, and observation skills during this exciting and engaging topic.

Year 3 Update!

It’s been another fantastic few weeks in Year 3! The students have been full of energy and curiosity as we dive deeper into our learning this term.

In Maths, we have just wrapped up our unit on Data and Graphing, where students learnt how to collect, record, and represent information in a variety of ways. They did an amazing job creating their own class surveys and graphs to display their findings. We have now moved on to our new unit on Time.

In Reading and Writing, we are well and truly deep in Viking territory! Our learning has focused on understanding the Vikings and their way of life, from their longships and village life to their exploration across distant lands. This week, students have started planning and writing their very own Viking Narrative Stories, combining all their knowledge with creativity and imagination.

It’s been so exciting watching these stories come to life! Finally, a big congratulations to Sienna McClea, Sam Ford, Jet Wilson, Sierra Travers, and Jensen Bowyer for their hard work, persistence, and positive attitude towards their learning.

These students were our recent BLP award recipients. Well done!

A Parliament House Incursion

As part of our Humanities studies in Year 5 we are looking at Democracy and Voting

Students are exploring Australia’s democratic government, including the meaning of terms, the three levels of government and the current representatives. They are learning about the core defining values of Australia’s democratic government, the role of the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC), and contemporary issues, including the citizenship saga and compulsory voting. Students are starting to prepare and re-enact the election process: creating a political party, determining what that party stands for and then coming up with appropriate speeches to try and convince others to vote for them.

As part of this unit of work, the Year 5 students took part in an incursion organised by Parliament House in Melbourne. The students were given the opportunity to listen to and interact with a representative from Parliament House. They were able to discuss how a law is made, how the government is formed and what an election entails.

This was an invaluable incursion for the students and it was fantastic to see their interest and engagement.

Japanese Cultural Performance Wows Students!

On Friday the 24th, Japanese students from Year 4 through to Year 8 were treated to an amazing display of Japanese skill and music. Introduced to Christian College by former teacher and forever friend Mrs. Yukiko Valent, members of both the Buyoukan Dojo and Saturday Taiko Fevers wowed the audience with stunning demonstrations of precision and artistry as part of their visit from Kyushu, Japan. 

Led by Mr. Suetsugu, head of the Buyoukan Dojo—a dojo with a proud 94-year history—the group included masters who hold high grades in Kendo, Iaido, and Jodo, as well as enthusiastic primary school students eager to perform. 

Saturday Taiko Fevers is a well-known performance group in their local community. Their shows combine traditional Taiko drumming with breakdancing and acrobatics, creating a dynamic and truly unique cultural experience. 

In a performance that perfectly captured the spirit and discipline of Japanese martial arts, students watched in silent awe as the group demonstrated techniques using a range of traditional weapons. Following this, the members of Saturday Taiko Fevers entertained the audience with an energetic blend of drumming, acrobatics, and breakdancing. 

It was a wonderful event for our students and a valuable lesson in traditional Japanese arts. Special thanks to Valent Sensei for her help in organising this special visit.  

ありがとうございました。 

Art Show

We are looking forward to our Surf Coast Campus Art Show on November 6 and invite all parents and families along to view an exceptional collection of work by students at all levels of our campus. We hope you can join us!

Community Prayer Group

Our community prayer group runs on a Wednesday, from 3pm until pickup at 3:25pm, and all community members are welcome. If you join us, please ensure you sign in at reception (on the left-hand side of the main office).

Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions about prayer or our prayer groups.

Social Media Age Restrictions Update 

A reminder to parents of the support and resources available to help begin conversations with your child or children and prepare together for the social media age restrictions that come into effect for under-16s from December 10. 

In last week’s Vine, we highlighted some new resources from eSafety for both parents and young people, including get-ready guides and parent webinars. From next week, we’ll be raising awareness at school about the upcoming age restrictions, in homerooms and/or assemblies, to support your preparations at home. 

This week, highly respected child and adolescent psychologist Michael Carr-Gregg shared a brief but helpful commentary on the approaching age restrictions via LinkedIn. While it is the technology companies that will be held to account for ensuring under-16s are restricted from having access to a social media account, Carr-Gregg notes that parents have an important role to play in determining the success of the change: 

‘It’ll be parents — in kitchens, cars, and living rooms — deciding whether this becomes a public-health breakthrough or a household breakdown.” 

Carr-Gregg then shares five ways parents can prepare. One of these ways is to make a digital family plan, a strategy that we also promoted in our recent online parent forum and which eSafety also encourages parents to adopt.  

CCG Foundation Golf Day — A Record-Breaking Success! 

The Christian College Foundation Annual Golf Tournament, proudly supported by major sponsor AECS (Australian Environmental Cleaning Services), welcomed 84 enthusiastic golfers of all skill levels taking on the stunning fairways of The Sands Torquay. 

Now in its fourth year, the event has truly hit its stride. Thanks to the incredible generosity of our community, we raised over $44,000, a significant leap from last year’s $31,717.88. With dollar-matching, the total soared to over $88,000 — an extraordinary result that will directly support students through the gift of education. 

All proceeds from the day will be invested into the Eternity Fund, which helps families facing financial hardship and funds new educational initiatives across Christian College Geelong.  

We extend our heartfelt thanks to the staff, volunteers, local businesses, and sponsors who made this day possible. Your support is a powerful reflection of the strength and spirit of the Christian College community. 

Geelong Summer Music Camp Jan 11 -16, 2026

A Day Camp for Music Students aged 10 – 21 years

Christian College Geelong is proud to once again be hosting the Geelong Summer Music Camp at the Senior Campus in January 2026. The GSMC committee are excited to have registrations now open for the January 2026 Camp.

If you have a budding band, choir or string musician in your house, or you are involved in a school or community music program, please encourage students aged 10 – 21 years to consider attending.

The camp highlights:
The GSMC is a friendly, welcoming, and inclusive day camp. Students will play in a concert band, string orchestra, or sing in a choir throughout the week and then feature in a finale concert at Costa Hall.

Campers will also have the opportunity to choose an elective activity. The camp builds social time into its program where students are encouraged to connect with others, developing positive friendships and relationships with other campers and staff. Auditions at the start of the camp are designed as a time for the students to connect with the music tutors, but also allow the tutors to place students into the ensemble that best suits them, to set them up to have a rewarding week of growth and fun making music.

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.