From the Executive Principal
Partnering with Parents: Why Your Involvement Matters
Tuesday was Orientation Day across all our campuses, and what a wonderful day it was! I had the pleasure of visiting each of our five campuses on the day and was struck by the energy and excitement shared by students, staff, and families alike as they explored what next year would have in store for them. Students met their new teachers, found out about exciting camps and trips planned for 2026, (including the new Canberra trip for Year 6s), and students and everyone heard about the high expectations we hold for our young people, coupled with great care and support.
The day also gave me wonderful opportunities to engage with parents and families. I began my morning at our Highton Middle School campus, where many parents stayed for morning tea after their children headed off to enjoy a day of orientation activities. I ended my day at our Bellarine Campus, again chatting with parents at afternoon pick-up. I also enjoyed talking to parents at all five of our campuses over the last two weeks at our amazing Art, Technology and Design exhibitions. These conversations – about your hopes, dreams, and aspirations for your children – were deeply meaningful and reminded me of the importance of the partnership between families and schools.
We often talk about “partnering with parents in your children’s education,” but what does that really mean? At its heart, it’s about building a relationship based on mutual respect, shared goals, and open communication. It means recognising you, as parents and carers, as your child’s first and most enduring educators. Your insights, experiences, and aspirations are invaluable.
This partnership isn’t one-size-fits-all; it evolves as your child grows and their needs change. Our teachers bring great professional expertise in teaching and child development, while you bring deep knowledge of your child’s personality, history, and home life. Together, we form a team with a shared mission: supporting your child’s holistic development.
Research consistently shows that strong family-school partnerships lead to better outcomes for students. These include:
- Improved academic achievement
- Better behaviour and attendance
- Higher levels of motivation and self-esteem
- Greater consistency between home and school expectations
When families feel welcomed and informed, they are more likely to engage in their child’s learning. Strong school-family connections also foster a sense of belonging for all and can help to reinforce the value of education at home.
Interestingly, research by John Hattie (2008) highlights the two most powerful influences parents can have on their child’s educational success:
- Parental expectations and aspirations
- Parental understanding of the language of schooling
With regards to the first influence, in his 2023 book, Hattie refers to the “Goldilocks principle”, encouraging parents to set expectations that are not too hard, not too easy, and not too boring. The second influence is particularly thought-provoking: when parents understand the language of schooling, their children tend to do better. This reinforces the importance of a strong connection between school and families, so every child can benefit.
Effective partnership requires mutual intentionality, empathy, and collaboration. While teachers are often the main point of contact, every adult in our school community contributes to your experience as a parent. Our learning support officers, chaplains, wellbeing staff, bus drivers, finance team, and administrative staff all play a part in creating a welcoming and supportive environment.
We are so grateful to walk alongside you in your child’s educational journey. Thank you for your trust, your engagement, and your continued partnership.
Highlights from this Week
As you’re probably aware, the various editions of The Vine contain articles and items relevant to individual campuses, and each week there are also articles that run across multiple campuses (like this one!) This week, I’d like to draw your attention to several of those articles.
Firstly, you will have noticed a piece focused on the impending social media ban for under-16s from two of our Directors over the past couple of weeks – Brendan Vanderkley (Digitial Learning) and Kim Doherty (Wellbeing). They have been sharing resources relating to various aspects of this world-first legislation coming into effect Australia-wide from December 10. This week the resources include an ABC news article about the platforms to which the legislation applies, and some thoughts from the University of Sydney’s Catherine Page Jeffery about how to minimise family conflict over the social media ban. I recommend all parents have a look at this useful range of resources that Brendan and Kim have compiled over the past few weeks.
Across all our campus Vines this week, the spotlight is turned on to contemporary music – our Drum and Percussion Evening was held this week in the R.W. Gibson Centre at Senior School, and it was wonderful to see and hear young drummers from Year 2 through to Year 11 perform to an audience of proud parents/families, friends and staff.
Following that night, there were two successive guitar evenings where guitarists from Year 2 through to Year 12 showcased their talents. At each of these three nights, most, though not quite all, of the music was contemporary and it is a pleasure to watch our students express themselves musically – it's a testament to the hard work they have put into learning and practising their instruments. Yet again, I marvelled at the skills of our young musicians who are guided and mentored by our wonderful instrumental music staff.
Then in the Senior School, Middle School and Bellarine Campus Vine editions you can read, and catch a glimpse via video, of a lineup of CCG contemporary bands who performed at last Sunday’s Wallington Strawberry Fair. That’s something I love about our Music Program – the many opportunities students have, to perform to a range of audiences – from families and friends at the school-based instrumental evenings, to the general public at major community events.
Finally, at various levels in various ways, our students have the opportunity to use their knowledge, imagination and creativity to think like an entrepreneur. At Senior School the Year 10 Running a Small Business elective comes to mind; at Junior School, Year 4s love their Sideshow Alley project, which was reported on in Week 2 of this term. Next Friday, it’s the Year 6s’ turn as Market Day is scheduled for Highton, Bellarine and Surf Coast Campuses – I look forward to seeing the results of their planning and preparation, and the range of goods and services on offer for their customers!
Dr Mathilda Joubert, Executive Principal
What’s Happening at Surf Coast?
TERM 4
WEEK 6
Monday 10 November – Prep Discovery Beach, Period 3 & 4
Monday 10 November – Year 5 Music Program Concert, Surf Coast Stadium
Tuesday 11 November – Remembrance Day
Friday 14 November – Active Maps Launch Ride/Walk to School – Year 4 – Year 7 students & families
Friday 14 November – Year 1 Ancient Dress-Up Day
Friday 14 November – Prep to Year 7 Assembly, Surf Coast Stadium
Friday 14 November – 2026 Prep School Session
WEEK 7
Monday 17 November – Lunchtime Concert, Instrumental Students, Surf Coast Stadium
Thursday 20 November – Year 7 Humanities Exhibition
Friday 21 November – Year 1 Scienceworks Excursion
Friday 21 November – Year 3 – Year 6 Market Day
WEEK 8
Thursday 27 November – Celebration Evening, Costa Hall
Friday 28 November – Prep to Year 7 Sand & Surf Carnival, Cosy Corner Beach.
WEEK 9
Monday 1 December – Year 7/8 Connection Day, combined Bellarine & Surf Coast Campuses
Wednesday 3 December – CCG Christmas Carols, Highton Campus Grounds. All College families’ welcome.
Wednesday 3 December – Prep to Year 4 Carnival, at Surf Coast Campus
Wednesday 3 December – Year 5 -7 Adventure Park
Thursday 4 December – Year 4 Graduation, Surf Coast Stadium
Friday 5 December – Prep to Year 7 Christmas Service, Surf Coast Stadium
Friday 5 December – End of Term 4, students dismissed at 2.30pm
Surf Coast Campus Art Show
On a beautiful spring afternoon, our Surf Coast community came together to celebrate the artistic talents of our students at our annual Surf Coast Art Show. The grounds were filled with joyful families enjoying food trucks and relaxing across the lawn, setting the perfect scene for an afternoon of creativity and community.
Parents and visitors soon made their way inside both the stadium and Innovation Centre to experience the incredible display of sculptures and artwork that our students have been working so hard to create. From intricate sculptures to vibrant paintings, each piece revealed the talent, effort, and imagination our young artists poured into their work. This show was a true testament to the skill and dedication of our students.
We extend our heartfelt congratulations to every student who participated and helped make this inaugural art show a memorable event. Special thanks go to our dedicated art educators, Ms Jen Beck-Carlson and Mr Geoff Trevaskis, for the invaluable skills and love for art they are instilling in our students. Through their guidance, our young artists have truly begun to explore and embrace their creative potential.
Thank you to all who attended and made this day one to remember. We can’t wait to see what artistic wonders await us next year!
Debbie Riddle, Head of Campus
From the Chaplain
I hope you’ve all had an amazing start to Term 4 so far, and that you were able to join us for our Art Show on Thursday night – that has quickly become a highlight of my year! The opportunity to see all the amazing things our students create provides new wonder every year.
I’ve certainly sensed the excitement within our student cohort as we look towards Advent, Christmas time, and the holiday break. I know that this period can become very busy, and very focused on all the events, presents, travel, and chaos that comes at the end of the year, but I know it also has potential to be a time of expectation, waiting, and celebration.
As we start to shift our focus towards celebrating Jesus’ birth over Christmas, I hope that, across our College, we are able to reflect on the year that has passed, and to reflect on the hope, love, joy, and peace that this Christ brought into our world. I look forward to sharing these things with one another over this term.
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6
Aaron Cutter, Chaplain
A Journey of Growth and Joy
As we reach the halfway mark of Term 4, it’s incredible to reflect on how quickly time has flown by. Our Prep students are very close to the finish line of their first year of school, and what a year it has been!
From the first day of school jitters to the confident, smiling faces we see today, the transformation has been nothing short of remarkable. Our Preps have grown in so many ways – not just in height, but in heart and mind as well. They’ve made new friends, learned many new skills, and they continue to discover the joy of learning.
As we look forward to the many events the remainder of Term 4 has to offer, including Sand and Surf Carnival, Celebration Evening and Carnival Day, plus all of the amazing learning still to come this year, we take a moment to reflect on our magnificent Prep students and everything they have achieved. We say it all the time, but we are so proud of them! Their enthusiasm, curiosity, and resilience have been truly inspiring to witness this year.
Nereda Welsh
Year 2 Update – A Fortnight of Learning and Discovery!
It’s been another action-packed two weeks in Year 2! Our students have been working incredibly hard across all areas of the curriculum, and we’re so proud of their efforts and enthusiasm.
English – Persuasive Writing
Students have been drafting, editing, and publishing persuasive texts. We’ve explored the use of strong language, paragraph structure, grammar specific to persuasive writing, and the difference between opinions and facts. Each student developed a clear argument either for or against a topic, supported by three reasons. Topics ranged from “Weekends should be three days long” to “Children should be paid to attend school!” It’s been wonderful to see their growth in this text type and to read their thoughtful and creative opinions.
Mathematics – Fractions and Data
We’ve wrapped up our unit on Fractions and moved into Data and Statistics. This has been a fun and engaging transition, especially as it connects with our writing unit. Students have designed their own surveys, collected responses, and used the data to create various types of graphs. It’s been a great opportunity to apply mathematical thinking in a real-world context.
IDL – Exploring the Solar System
In Integrated Studies, we’ve been tracking the sun and moon. Last week, we observed how shadows change throughout the day, noticing how they grow, shrink, and shift direction. A big thank you to the families who have helped track the moon’s shape at home – this has sparked rich classroom discussions. Students are enjoying watching the moon “grow and shrink” on our class calendar. Soon, they’ll begin a research project on a chosen planet in our solar system.
Christian Education – The Christmas Story
We’ve begun exploring the Christmas Story through the perspectives of its key characters. Over the coming weeks, we’ll investigate the roles of Angel Gabriel, Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, the wise men, the star, and Jesus. This approach is helping students connect more deeply with the story and its meaning.
It’s always a hive of activity in the Year 2 classrooms, and we’re thoroughly enjoying our time together. Thank you for your continued support!
Sarah Dean
Year 4 Measurement… Full of Hands-on fun!
Our Year 4 students have been enthusiastically exploring the world of measurement in our latest maths unit, and the classroom has been buzzing with curiosity and activity!
From the very start, students have been immersed in practical experiences that bring measurement concepts to life. Using rulers, they measured everyday classroom items in centimetres and millimetres, discovering just how precise they can be. The learning then moved outside the classroom as students took to the basketball court with trundle wheels in hand, measuring longer distances.
Back inside, we explored mass in a variety of engaging ways. Students compared the weight of different materials using visual estimation, the technique of “hefting” (feeling the weight by hand), and finally, using kitchen scales for accurate readings. This multi-step approach helped them understand how mass can be perceived and measured in different ways.
Next came capacity, where students experimented with containers of all shapes and sizes. Using millilitres as their measurement unit, they poured, estimated, and measured to discover how shape affects volume.
Still to come is an exploration of temperature, where students will learn to read thermometers and understand how temperature affects our daily lives. After that, we’ll be diving into area and perimeter, building on their measurement skills to understand space and boundaries.
This unit has been a fantastic opportunity for students to engage with maths in a meaningful, tactile way. Their enthusiasm and teamwork have made each lesson a joy, and we can’t wait to see how they apply their growing skills in the weeks ahead!
Kate Rice
Debating Finals Update
This week, two of our debating teams competed in the first round of the finals with the challenging topic: “That e-scooters should be banned in the city.”
This was a cold debate, meaning teams had only 30 minutes to prepare their entire case after seeing the topic! The topic proved particularly difficult, as it required debaters to grapple with how e-scooters impact city life, balancing convenience, safety, and sustainability.
Our A Team, Sasha, Maddie, Luca, and James, delivered an outstanding performance, presenting their arguments with clarity, confidence, and teamwork. Despite debating to an exceptionally high standard, they narrowly missed victory by just one point. We are incredibly proud of their efforts and the way they represented our school throughout the season. Going undefeated in the regular rounds is a remarkable achievement, and they should be very proud of their success.
Our B Team, Willow, Emily, Eitan, and Harry (with a big thank you to Frankie for stepping in as a reserve), also rose to the challenge. After a tight and thoughtful debate, they won their round by one point and will now progress to the semi-finals next week!
We can’t wait to see how they go and wish them the best of luck as they continue their finals campaign. Congratulations to all our debaters for their hard work, resilience, and teamwork this season!
Alex Pink
Social Media Age Restrictions Update
Earlier this week, eSafety revealed the nine platforms that will be initially included in the country’s social media age restrictions for under-16s. The confirmed platforms are Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, X, Facebook, Reddit, Kick, Instagram and Threads.
Also this week, Catherine Page Jeffery, a lecturer in Media Communications at University of Sydney, shared some helpful parent advice on how to minimise family conflict over the social media ban. This included acknowledgement that for many families social media is already a source of conflict, that there is uncertainty ahead and that the change is going to be difficult for some under-16s.
We’re raising awareness about the age restrictions amongst students in homerooms and assemblies over the coming days, and we encourage you to look out for updates and communications from your campus, so you’re informed of when we’ve explored this topic with students.
A reminder that eSafety is offering some 30min parent webinars over the coming weeks, which parents and carers may find supportive in preparing for the changes with their under 16s.
Brendan Vanderkley, Director of Digital Learning
Kim Doherty, Director of Wellbeing
Drum Roll !!! Cross-Campus Drum Night a Hit!
This week’s Cross-Campus Drum Evening brought together more than 20 drummers from all five CCG campuses for a night of music and collaboration in the R.W. Gibson Centre at Senior School. The event featured a mix of popular songs and showcased a wide range of drumming experience, from some of our youngest drummers (barely reaching the pedals) to our senior musicians who have been busy working towards major performances.
There were many catchy pop hits and rock classics, along with some elaborate gaming music and complex drum charts. The performers showcased a diverse range of skills, from beginners finding their first grooves to our seasoned drummers laying down some really impressive beats.
A big thank you to our wonderful families and students that make this a great night on the CCG calendar. Please enjoy photos of our wonderful drummers!
Sharon Huber
Sean Loughran
Two Wonderful Guitar Performance Nights
This week, guitarists and bassists at Christian College took to the stage at the RW Gibson Centre for two rocking concerts, featuring students from Year 2 through to Year 12, performed to families and friends.
Audiences were treated to a wide range of music; students showcased pieces by influential artists including Stevie Wonder, Metallica, Bon Jovi, Pink Floyd, Ozzy Osbourne and Van Halen. The Highton Guitar Ensemble impressed with a diverse set featuring Bach, The Rolling Stones and a Ride the Lightning medley. Just as impressive were the guitarists and bassists who sang ‘Everlong’ and ‘Puppet’ while accompanying themselves.
It was inspiring to see this part of our musical community come together. Our younger musicians were impressed by those further along the path, while our senior students reflected on how far they have come in their time at Christian College. Showcasing the talent across the different year levels and seeing the joy students get from performing for each other is always a highlight, and it’s a reminder that these evenings bring generations together through a shared love of music and live performance.
We celebrate Ava McInnes and Max Bettiol, two Year 12 students who performed in their final guitar concert at Christian College. We thank them for their dedication and fond memories they have left the Music Department with and wish them well for their future endeavours.
Scott Jolley - Coordinator of Contemporary Performance
Lee Price - Guitar Teacher
Tom Fraser - Bass and Guitar Teacher
Hampers That Celebrate Local & Support CCG Foundation
If you're looking for a thoughtful and delicious gift idea this festive season, we invite you to consider ordering a Geelong Gourmet Goodies Hamper through Kardinia Rotary.
These beautifully presented hampers feature locally sourced gourmet treats and come in three sizes — $125, $85, and $60 — with free delivery within 50km of Geelong CBD.
They make perfect gifts for friends, family, staff, or clients, while also supporting local businesses and community projects.
Here’s how your purchase can make a difference:
- For every hamper ordered that references Christian College Geelong or Christian College Geelong Foundation, $5 will be donated to the Foundation.
- Even better — this donation will be dollar matched by an anonymous donor, doubling the impact of your support!
Funds raised will go directly to the Christian College Geelong Foundation – Public Ancillary Fund, supporting initiatives that transform lives through education.
How to order:
- Visit the Kardinia Rotary website here to view the hamper contents and place your order.
Or click the link here for a PDF document with hamper contents and an order form.
2025 Geelong Gourmet Goodies Order Form
- Be sure to include Christian College Geelong or Christian College Geelong Foundation under “Club/Organisation” when placing your order
Final orders close Wednesday, November 19
Hampers will be delivered December 9 or 10, or earlier by arrangement
Thank you for supporting our Foundation and the Geelong community this Christmas!
Tennille McInnes, Foundation Manager/Alumni Officer
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.
Aaron Cutter
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.
Key information and contacts:
A Day Camp for Musicians 10 - 21 Years*
Venue: Christian College Geelong, Waurn Ponds
Camp Concert: Friday 16th January, Costa Hall
Camp fees : $425 & $385 additional family members
*Age Calculation - 1st January 2026
Enquiries: 0411432155 or gsmc.secretary@gmail.com
More information can be found on attached poster and online registration on the camp website
GSMC.org.au
Please help us to promote the camp which is run by a volunteer committee who are passionate about providing a wonderful experience for student musicians from the Geelong community and beyond – it’s a Geelong institution with this next camp being the 45th ! Each year students from across Victoria, Interstate and even as far away as New Zealand attend.
Please share the promotional poster attached. They can be emailed and/or printed out and displayed anywhere you think appropriate.
Looking forward to another wonderful and inspirational week of music and joy in January!
Fiona Gardner, Musical Director GSMC 2025 - On behalf of the GSMC Committee
All Star Kids - December Holidays Extravaganza!
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.
If we receive multiple versions of a popular recipe, we may ask for alternatives. We encourage you to share gluten free, vegan, and vegetarian options.
Please feel free to upload one or more images to go alongside your recipe. For example, this could be a family photo, colourful drawing/artwork, or photo of the recipe. By uploading a photo, you agree to have your photo published. Please also let us know where you got your inspiration from. Is your recipe based on another food author or published cookbook, or is it a special family recipe? Why do you love this recipe? Please share your story with us. By contributing your recipe to the cookbook, you agree to have your name published, but no personal contact details will be shared.
Please note, you are welcome to contribute recipes until the end of November 2025. The published book will be available at the start of 2026.
If you have a family business and you would like to advertise your business in the cookbook, please contact Tenille McInnes (t.mcinnes@ccg.vic.edu.au). This is a great way to showcase some of the incredible family businesses we have associated with the College.
We encourage all families to pre-order a cookbook today. Your purchase will enable the foundation to manage costs, stock levels, and ensure we deliver a profit. The cost of the cookbook is $39.50, and your donation to the Christian College Eternity Fund will be dollar matched by a very generous, anonymous donor.
On behalf of the Foundation, we sincerely thank you for your support and contribution to this project and know that you are supporting a great cause.
You can find the links to purchase and contribute to the cookbook here;
Click Here to contribute a recipe
Click Here to Pre-order your Cookbook
Thank you so much for your contribution.
Elisha and Willow
