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August 2011 Newsletter

Chairman James Shirley makes a presentation to the CEO for 30 years of service

From the CEO

New BuildingsLooking back over the past twelve months, seeing the new Administration and Resource Centre at Senior School being used by students, staff and parents has been a real thrill. These new modern and well equipped facilities provide a wonderful central educational focus and learning area for our Senior School community. I want to express my thanks to all the staff, especially to Mrs Strong and Mrs Martin for the smooth coordination of the move into the facility this year.The continued development of the Sports Arena at the Middle School in Highton has been both exciting and frustrating as we near the completion of this expansive suite of buildings. With the combination of the snap of wet and cold weather over the month of July, making external landscaping almost impossible, we are now enjoying a stretch of fine days which have helped immensely. Whilst this building will soon be completed and ready for student and staff use, the enormous ongoing task of landscaping the surrounds of these buildings will continue, giving the illusion that the buildings are not complete. However, the necessary and planned part of this building project has also included the design and development of much of the back entrances and façade of the College onto Thornhill Road, the new landscape inside where

the old basketball courts were located as well as areas leading up to the new buildings and how the areas interface with the lower grounds.The Bellarine Sports and Performing Arts Centre is also taking shape as many of the workmen who are completing their tasks at Highton are moving down to the Bellarine project which will certainly increase the activity in that project. As in any building project, there are always time restraints and unexpected challenges which test the processes. In my latest visit to the buildings I was amazed by the progress that has been achieved in recent weeks.

Changes to College Board At the 2011 Annual General Meeting of the Board, the Chairman of the Board Mr Chris Golden announced his decision to step down as Board Chairperson after five years ‘at the helm’. Chris has been an outstanding Chairman during this period and has initiated, planned and overseen many of the new building projects seen across all campuses, most of which have become more evident in the past 6 months. Chris has been an enthusiastic, energetic and wise leader of this College. However, I am happy to announce he will continue on as a very valuable member of the College Board. At the same meeting, Mr James Shirley was unanimously elected to the position of Chairman. James, who has been a parent of Christian College for seven years, has already demonstrated excellent business acumen and a thorough knowledge of the College operations, having already worked within various College sub-committees over the years. James comes to this position with a strong background and expertise in both engineering and business.

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Principal’s ReportFrom the CEO (cont’d)

These skills have already played an important role in future planning and development of our College. This meeting also saw changes to the Vice Chairman’s position where Mr Vivian Watson, a long time Salvation Army representative and a wonderful contributor to the College Board for 17 years, also stepped down from this position. Viv. has been an excellent Vice Chairman for the past 10 years and will continue as a member of the Board. The Vice Chairman’s position has been filled by Mr Simon Koefoed, the Anglican clergy Representative on our Board. Simon has also been an enthusiastic member of this

Board for four years and I look forward to working very closely with these new leaders of the College. The Board has also welcomed two new members – Captain David Collinson, the clergy representative for The Salvation Army and Mrs Sally Stewart, a parent representative from Bellarine Campus. I wish to thank all members of the College Board for their excellent governance of the College, the personal sacrifice they have made in accepting this vital role and their courage to envision and progress the outstanding future of Christian College, Geelong.

Daryl C. Riddle OAM Chief Executive Officer

The new Administration Resource Centre at Senior School

Forward PlanningThird term is a busy time in schools, as in addition to the ongoing educational process a great deal of the focus surrounds preparation for the following year. For teachers this involves reviewing teaching units covered in Semester One as well as preparation for end of year assessment.For the College leadership it is a time to prepare budgets and plan for specific needs for staffing and any changes to the College program that are to commence in 2012.This is a particularly exciting time for us with new facilities nearing completion and some that are already operational. Along with these new buildings comes new opportunities for the students and therefore we are busy preparing for these wonderful additions to our College.

Initiatives to support studentsMany parents will have already received notification and details concerning subject offerings and courses available at our Senior and Middle schools in 2012. This process involves a strong partnership and relationship between parents, students and staff.I am pleased to report that, in response to feedback provided from the 2010 Parent Survey, additional support, information and modifications to electives and subjects offered are being implemented. Aspects we are pleased to be able to offer include expanded career support and advice offered at Senior School. Also a highly successful and informative “My Brilliant Career”, information day and evening conducted jointly by the Careers staff and Humanities Faculty. The students benefited from workshop sessions throughout the day and were then joined by their parents in the evening to hear and gather additional information together. The expansion of this aspect of our program will also offer support to Middle School students and their families in Year 9. Additional practical subjects have been offered through expansion of the Art, Technology and Design faculty. Our College benefits from having a designated Art, Technology and Design complex, “Villa Paloma”, as part of our The Anglican Bishop, Rt. Revd. Philip Huggins and the College Chairman officially

open the new buildings at Senior School

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Senior School. Greater information on the pathways on offer at this complex was provided for parents and students at each of the Elective Information Evenings. The continual implementation of new structures throughout the College, including recommendations resulting from reviews of the Middle School Audit, Junior School Mathematics review, Camps review and the ongoing work of the individual Directors of Teaching and Learning have each influenced positive change that will benefit all students.No school will offer the perfect educational environment for every individual student. However I am eager to work with families and our staff to create a program that provides the framework and opportunities for all our student’s academic needs, whist maintaining outstanding pastoral and learning support.In past years I have received notification from parents having to reluctantly withdraw their children from our College, as they felt that we had been unable to offer particular subjects or pathways to support their child. I want to encourage and request families who sense this situation to contact the relevant Head or Deputy Head of Campus to discuss how we may address any scenario before withdrawing students. I do this, as in the past, we have found that some students have moved to other schools only to later return, causing broken continuity of study at our College, which is far from ideal.

Electronic CommunicationYou will be aware that the College has undertaken the move toward communicating with families electronically. This has so far included the checking of student records online and the distribution of student reports via the parent portal. We are also commencing a roll out of the practice of emailing notices and other correspondence. I am aware and understand that this has created a need for change for some families, whilst others have been able to readily accommodate this change. Therefore, in the coming months, we will offer assistance to anyone experiencing difficulties whilst they make the necessary preparations to enable them to receive communication electronically. All families are asked to ensure

A website will be established to allow students to check their account balance. Once a term limit is reached, cards may be topped up at electronic kiosks located at the Senior School in the Library Foyer or at the Student Offices for Middle School students.It is not anticipated that many students will exceed these allowances. However, heavy usage by students may need to be discussed with your son or daughter as our preliminary monitoring of printer usage indicates that some students are printing material not related to their studies. These measures are aimed to reduce our paper wastage and to maintain appropriate levels of use that is restricted to educational purposes.

Academic Rigour and Student AccountabilityThe reviews of various sections of

that they will be able to receive electronic communication in time for 2012, when we will complete our transition to this form of communication. Should you require assistance in this area, please contact Reception at the respective campuses. Members of the Information Technology staff will be available to assist.

Print Monitoring.Associated with the above initiative and development has been the installation of print monitoring procedures for all staff as well as students from Years 5 to 12. Recently ugraded identification cards have been prepared and distributed; these are barcode enabled for electronic identification.These cards are used to access photocopiers and printers used on the College network. Middle school students have been allocated an allowance of $10.00 per term and Senior School students $15.00 each term. Each page copied is charged to the cardholder’s account at the following rates.• Photocopy prints $0.05 per page.• Standard Laser prints $0.10 per

page.• Colour prints are charged at a

slightly higher cost of $0.25 per print.

• A3 pages incur double these costs.• A misplaced card can be

replaced for $5.00.

The Principal chairs a staff leadership meeting in the new Board Room

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The Principal’s Report (continued)

the College program and the mid year strategic reports presented by Directors of Teaching and Learning have indicated a need for there to be an increased rigour and level of accountability regarding completion of work requirements and acceptable standards required of these. The Heads and Deputy Heads of Campus together with the Directors of Teaching and Learning and Faculty Heads are working with the teaching staff to address this matter with students. Parents can expect greater accountability and rigour together with consistent standards of acceptability regarding deadlines and work that is submitted or completed.These measures should only impact those students who are not making the most of the opportunities available or producing their best effort.

LITEhouse InitiativeThis year a new initiative has been introduced in our Middle Schools the aim of which is to support and integrate the use of resources and technology into the learning and teaching framework.This exciting and innovative move is underpinned by current research as a means of providing meaningful opportunities for students to utilise skills and processes in the classroom from their learning that had previously been studied in isolation in the Library or IT classroom. By ‘weaving’ these valuable aspects of learning into the broader curriculum, the students benefit from a more meaningful application of these areas in their everyday schooling. This will build greater collaboration and integration for both students and teachers, with the overall outcome improving each student’s

capacity to learn. I am grateful to Mrs. Roselyn Smith and the LITEhouse team comprising of Library and Information Technology and Communication staff for commencing this journey. I look forward to continued developments as this process unfolds.

Positive Community FeedbackOver many years Christian College students have received numerous commendations for their conduct and behaviour at school and in the community. Recently it has been most pleasing to receive correspondence and direct feedback commending our students whilst they are in the community participating in College programs. Some of these have included a letter from a commuter regarding a group of students travelling by train to Melbourne, the staff at a local hardware whilst

Staff RetreatAt the end of last term the teaching and non teaching staff from each campus participated in the annual retreat. This year the theme, “Christian College, Moving and Improving”, embraced the following 3 areas.• A time of Christian reflection,

challenge and worship.• Professional Developments

and collaboration.• Fellowship and time to

celebrate significant contributions to our College over a number of years.

This year our Christian focus included an interactive devotional, a worship service and an inspiring address by Pastor Matt Jacoby form Barrabool Hills Baptist Church. The teaching staff enjoyed workshops and a challenging presentation by Professor Steve Dinham from The University of Melbourne, on Quality Effective Teaching and providing students with appropriate feedback. His message, strongly supported by his research evidence, provided an excellent platform for the staff to discuss and consider ways of incorporating strategies and change into their teaching.

The annual staff dinner provided us with a time to honour the following staff for their outstanding contribution to Christian College over many years. This is a wonderful time to acknowledge the service that these colleagues have made throughout their careers. I thank each one for the contribution they have made.

Teaching and Learning Staff 20 Years ServiceMrs. Karen Smits15 Years Service Mrs. Anne YoungMrs. Carla Barnett Mr. Scott EllissMrs. Pam McKeemanMrs. Heather FaulknerMrs. Yukari HodgartMrs. Merinda KellyMrs. Barb PurcellMr. Graham StephensMr. John TigliasMrs. Robyn SmithMr. Andrew Dunlop10 Years ServiceMr. Andrew RichardsonMr. Peter FosseyMr. Russell BarterMrs. Deanne EllissMr. Wayne DurranMrs. Calli BruntMrs. Anne Spence

Non Teaching Staff 20 Years Service Mrs. Marion Murray15 Years Service.Mrs. Heather RiddleMrs. Heather Smith10 Years ServiceMrs. Anne Clarke

Completion of Post Graduate StudiesMrs. Bernadette JohnsonBachelor of Education (Early Childhood Education) University of New EnglandMrs. Christine Lean Master of Information Architecture Charles Sturt UniversityMiss Merrin Wood Master of Art Therapy Latrobe UniversityMrs. Fiona Gardner Master of Education Christian Heritage College, Queensland.

Special PresentationsMr. Daryl Riddle30 Years of ServiceMr. Chris Golden 5 Years as Chairman of the College BoardMrs. Yvonne Baker. Retirement after 25 Years of Service

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students visited on an excursion, visiting teachers from other schools and letters from the public complimenting our well mannered students in shops.I am delighted to receive such correspondence and affirmation of our students and encourage all students to continue this manner of conduct when representing their College in the community. In doing so I also make a point that there is a clear expectation that all students wear the College uniform appropriately in public at all times. This includes after school hours, particularly in public areas such as on streets or in shopping centres. This includes blazers being worn and uniforms remaining tidy with ties and shirts neatly presented. I ask that parents support us with this expectation to ensure that our students continually wear the College uniform with pride.

Naga High School VisitFollowing an absence of two years it is wonderful that we have been able to welcome students and staff from our Japanese sister school Naga High School. I am most grateful to the LOTE staff and particularly the host families who have generously opened up their homes to our visitors.During the visit the students will travel to each campus including the ‘Back Creek’ Farm and Villa Paloma Art , Technology and design complex as well as many local sites.Next year will be the 20th Anniversary of our long relationship and friendship with Naga High School. During this time hundreds of students from both schools have benefitted from the outstanding program.

Overseas Tours.Over the recent term break students from the Senior School enjoyed the opportunity to travel overseas as part of the College program. Students studying Indonesian visited Malaysia for language enrichment and cultural experiences, whilst some of our College Prefects visited East Timor to experience and participate in the ongoing program supported by our College community. I am most grateful to the staff who planned and accompanied this trip for making these tours possible. Year 10 ‘Our World’ students are looking forward to further trips to East Timor and Vietnam later this semester.

Dedication of New Facility at Senior School On Sunday 7 August, members of the College community and invited guests gathered to participate in a Dedication Service to officially open the new Administration and Resource Centre at the Senior School. Those present heard about the journey, purpose and wonderful provision this facility is proving for our senior students and staff as well as the way it has enhanced the community through being such a welcoming, peaceful yet engaging hub for our senior school.The building was dedicated by Bishop Phillip Huggins, Bishop of the Northern and Western Anglican Diocese of Melbourne and officially opened by Bishop Huggins and the new Chairman of the College Board, Mr. James Shirley. The day was attended by students, current and former staff and members of the College community. The day was a wonderful celebration of the workmanship, design and provision that our College in now enjoying at our Senior School

Drawing on God’s Living WaterOver recent months and weeks a number of our families including those of our teaching staff have experienced hardship, health challenges, loss of loved ones and great sadness. During these times of difficulty it is incredible to see the loving responses of other members of our College family.

The world too has seen dreadful tragedy such as the shootings in Norway and the devastating famine in East Africa. We also see the ongoing issue of asylum seekers and refugees.What is our response to such situations that others find themselves in? I am always reminded of words my grandmother would often say, “There, but for the Grace of God go thee”.Our College community regularly expresses its love and care for others through responding to their needs, but sometimes situations are so complex and difficult that only God must see the full picture. I was recently personally encouraged by one of our College Chaplains who advised that, when facing difficulty and uncertainty we should go back to the promises from God and seek and trust in His salvation. As fresh water brings joy to the thirsty,So God’s people rejoice when he saves them. Isaiah 12:2-3God offers streams of water – living water for dying hopes, cool water for parched hearts, refreshing water for those tired and weary. Let us spend time refreshing ourselves with the promises of Jesus and trusting that, as we draw close to him, the Spirit will restore our soul. God Bless you all.

Glen McKeeman PRINCIPAL

Glen McKeeman welcomes former leaders of Christian College back to the Official Opening Service at Senior School

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Senior School News

At the Senior School there has been an emphasis this year on making a number of our studies as practical as possible. Let me introduce you to a few of those:In the Outdoor Education faculty’s Year 10 Horse riding unit, teachers are working with the property owner to measure environmental impacts by testing water and weed surveys. The Year 12’s are official Orange Bellied Parrot observers in the Karaafe wetlands and the Year 11’s visit three different heathland sites to examine the role of fire in the environment, after a presentation by the CFA.Our Year 12 Biology students went to Melbourne Zoo this term to complete a Genetics SAC which is connected to the critically endangered Sumatran Tigers - it is believed that there are less than 250 remaining in the wild today. The main reason why the zoo runs many conservation programs like this is because many animals are endangered as a result of poaching or loss of habitat. They are also running a program to decrease the use of palm oil in products like chocolate and this will hopefully reduce the amount of native rainforests that are destroyed for palm oil plantations.Year 11 Theatre Studies was linked to the musical , Seussical the Musical, conducted in May so that the musical has a direct relationship with the curriculum. The students had the opportunity to be involved in the staging of the production by taking responsibility

for a range of stagecraft elements.This year a few Year 10 and 11 students who are interested in pursuing a career in Science visited GTAC (Gene Technology Access Centre) in Melbourne. It was a special program that involved learning about the molecules in snake venom and how they are toxic. Students also learnt about the effectiveness of antibiotics and the importance of taking a full course of antibiotics to avoid developing antibiotic-resistant bacteria. They also participated in a Genetics experiment called gel electrophoresis, where they separated different lengths of DNA. The students really enjoyed working with PhD students from Melbourne University and research scientists from WEHI.To supplement the curriculum, students in Year 10 Food and Technology this year so far have been fortunate to have a demonstration of skills from a very experienced overseas chef. As part of Global Food studies, visitors from East Timor lead students in preparing foodstuffs typical of their country. They went to Top Design at the Melbourne museum to view the works of the top 2010 VCE students and our students studied unusual foods and the vast variety of foodstuffs available by visiting the Queen Victoria Market. We are fortunate to now have brand new ovens in the Middle School kitchen for our students to enjoy using.While still meeting the current curriculum outcomes, students studying Year 11 Design and

Technology are embracing the changes in curriculum for 2012 being ‘Product Design and Technology’. The focus for the new curriculum is on product design and development and a move away from timber as a primary material for the learning area. There is a strong emphasis on the impacts of products and their use and the materials that they are made from. Students look into the source of materials and their manufacturing processes, assessing their effects not only on the environment but looking at wider social and ethical impacts on society. The students are working well in small design teams, in a simulated professional design studio environment, where they are developing lighting products to enhance the mood and atmosphere of specified environments.In Semester 1, Year 10 Geography ran as an elective; the subject’s first appearance at Senior School since 2008. Students engaged in two topics that gave them a taste of VCE Geography

Year 11 Design and Technology students at work with teacher Mr Benson on a lighting design project

Molly Watson, Year 10 conducts an experiment at the Gene Technology Access Centre in Melbourne

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Middle School News

The joy associated with a tour around Middle School Highton is something that must be shared and celebrated. The leadership team of Heather Faulkner, Bernie Murnane and Wayne Hines have the pleasure of conducting these tours on most days of the school year and, on the majority of days, more than one tour.We say “Every day is Open day” at Middle School and we are proud to show visitors and prospective school families our classes in operation on a typical school day. The confidence we have in the teaching and learning that occurs period by period is only matched by the confidence we have in our children and wonderful staff.As much as we celebrate the growth in resources on our campus it is beyond question that it is the people who make Middle School such a joyous place. Students opening doors, giving a cheery “Good morning Mr Hines and visitors” or even just a smile of appreciation are all things that warm one’s heart. Staff members willing to go that extra mile welcome visitors into their classroom, care for their students and show passion in their teaching. This, together with parents who volunteer as helpers points to a healthy school community.The visitors seeking to enrol their children often comment on the friends and family who are already a part of our community and love it. Others speak of chance meetings they have had with

students and staff and the positive impression that was gained by the character and passion of the person.The considerable numbers of enrolment interviews conducted this year have produced some full year levels and waiting lists for 2012. I would encourage any people with interested family and friends to contact the school immediately if they are seeking a place for 2012 or 2013. We love our school and hope that our families also share the benefits of joining this wonderful community.We must acknowledge God’s continued blessings and, in particular, the blessings he has poured out this year. So many of these blessings are not always obvious but ultimately do not go unnoticed by us or the broader community.We can, in all sincerity say “Praise God from whom all Blessings Flow”.

Wayne Hines Head of Middle School Highton

Wayne Hines shows the Campus Chapel to a visitor to Middle School

which focuses on both natural and urban environments. In looking at river systems in the first unit, students undertook a case study of the Barwon River and part of their research involved a bicycle ride along the river to analyse its form and features. The second unit, Urbanisation, included an investigation into the Armstrong Creek development, with a bus tour of the area and guest speakers from the City of Greater Geelong and Warralily Estate. The students were grateful for the opportunities to gain firsthand experience, making Year 10 Geography a fun, interesting and worthwhile subjectMay I also take a moment to remind families that the ‘Villa Paloma’ Art, Technology and Design staff conduct a timetabled After School Program for VCE students studying Studio Arts, Systems Engineering, Design and Technology (materials and textiles), Studio Arts and Visual Communication and Design. These classes are specifically designed to enable students to access facilities, resources and teacher contact for extended blocks of time beyond standard school hours. Saturday programs are also conducted on a needs basis, particularly when students are working towards deadlines or are preparing for SACs or examinationsFinally, I would like to reiterate that our new Library Resource Centre is a very successful and innovative initiative that our College has made a priority. Access to a wide range of resources and this vibrant new learning facility have encouraged students to use the library for a range of educational and recreational purposes. Our students say they love being in their new library.In this time leading up to the final assessments of our students, may I remind families that we have our Parent/Teacher/Student Interviews on September 6th and September 8th. Look out for the reminder email and booking form. These interviews will allow an opportunity for you and your child to make some informed decisions for the remainder of the academic year.

Susan Strong Head of Senior School

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Bellarine Campus Report

Study tours and Naga High School Campus VisitsThe early part of Term 3 has seen a prominent focus on our Languages other than English (L.O.T.E) faculty and our international relationships. It was encouraging to hear of the great success for our senior students’ study tours of Malaysia, Lombok Indonesia (twin school) and more recently our Prefects visit to East Timor. These are amazing opportunities to not only travel, but engage with the language and cultural aspects of these programs. Naga High School (sister school) has visited both the Bellarine Campus and also our Year 9 boys at ‘Back Creek’. It was wonderful to see our students learn, socialise and interact with our friends from Japan. The students really appreciated the chance to ‘trial’ their Japanese language skills and gain an authentic experience of the Japanese culture. Next year will mark the significant 20th year anniversary of our relationship with Naga Senior High School in Japan and our 16th year with our twin school in Indonesia, SMA Negeri 2 Mataram. These milestones will certainly be cause for great celebrations!The Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for all Young Australians acknowledges that Australians need to become Asian literate, engaging and building stronger relationships with Asia. In addition, the Declaration recognises the learning of languages as an integral part of the educational experience for all Australian students. Some concerns have been raised in the past that learning a L.O.T.E may

interfere with native language development at an early age. However no research evidence has been produced to support this contention. Rather, several studies (such as DeHouwer, 1999) show that strategies used to acquire a L.O.T.E often help children understand and speak their native language with greater proficiency.

L.O.T.E Speech Competitions Our recent L.O.T.E Speech Competitions are testament to this point. Selected students from across our campuses were given the opportunity to present a short speech to a specialist panel of judges. Students from Years Prep to Year 9 were involved in the Japanese competition and next week our Indonesian students from Years 5 to Year 9 will have their opportunity to present. The standard and delivery of these speeches has been outstanding and is a credit to the staff teaching in our L.O.T.E department and the students’ dedication and preparation for this contest. Congratulations are extended thus far to Charlotte Nevistic (Year 4), George Maroulis (Year 2) and Jordan Smith (Year 2) who have been selected to represent Christian College in the State wide Japanese speaking competition in Melbourne. The learning of Japanese was introduced from the Prep. level at Christian College only 4 years ago. We are already seeing the vast ‘fruits’ of this program, not only in terms of our students’ language development in Japanese, but also in a flow through effect to the use of language skills in a range of other curriculum areas.

Draft Shape of the Australian Curriculum: LanguagesThe Draft Shape of the soon to be released Australian Curriculum: Languages, is currently being reviewed by specialist staff across our nation. However, all professionals agree that the inclusion of language acquisition for our students:• strengthens the intellectual and

analytical capability of students to engage with different ways of making meaning

• develops awareness of cultural assumptions and values that frame the world view shaped through their own first language(s) and culture(s)

• extends students’ literacy repertoire

• strengthens cognitive and general learning capabilities such as creative and critical thinking: brain research shows that language learning uses and develops particular and unique conceptualisation skills and meta-cognition

• strengthens students’ knowledge of concepts across the curriculum

• extends students’ understanding of themselves, their own heritage and identities, and their sense of connectedness to others through reflection on their experiences and those of others

• enhances students’ employment and career prospects.

Learning a Language and Literacy SkillsSue Fernandez has documented the vast ways that learning a second language can also improve the literacy skills of our young learners. These can be found in her compilation “Promoting the Benefits of Language Learning.”

Naga High students enjoying a BBQ lunch with Tess Barber, Year 9

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Careers Counselling ProgramIn a changing world it is more important than ever for students to have the skills to manage their own career pathways. This can be a daunting task, especially for those students who as yet, have no idea what they want to do in the future. It is even more daunting to learn that young people these days change their profession several times during their working life.

Whether a student knows exactly what they want to do after leaving school or not, it is important that in the middle secondary years they take a variety of subjects to get a better feel of different areas. It is important to remain flexible as students may change their minds as they progress through their later years of secondary education. Students are expected to be well informed and make use of the opportunities available to them.

Careers counselling is one of the first steps a student can take in managing one’s career life journey. The advantage in consulting with a careers counsellor is that student’s interest, aptitudes and values are discussed at length which are all important aspects to be considered when managing one’s pathway. Once an area of interest is established students are encouraged to research the field. Older students are encouraged to look into courses which connect with their interests and aptitudes. In this way, students take ownership of their own pathway by being carefully guided by the counsellor, and actually have a real hand in deciding what their future might be and how they will go about achieving it.

I am delighted to take on the role of College Careers Counsellor after recently completing my Graduate Certificate in Career Development. As Year 12 Coordinator, I work very closely with those students who are deciding on relevant career pathways after finishing their VCE studies.

Apart from working with Senior students, I will also be working at Middle School Highton and Bellarine Campus for half a day each week. If you would like your son or daughter to meet with me, please email me or telephone me and I can arrange an appointment time. My email address is d.swann@ccg.vic.edu.au and I can be contacted at the Senior School on 5241 1577.

Mrs Dianne Swann Careers Counsellor

A snapshot of her research findings are summarised below:• Learning languages improves children’s reading readiness

due to the enhancement and acquisition of metalinguistic awareness, a key preparatory skill for reading.

• Children in bilingual programs show higher levels of word awareness, also assisting with reading.

• Children are able to make better guesses on unfamiliar words.• Students are able to recognise the relationship between the

form of a word and its meaning.• Students can think about the different components that

make up a language.• Children are able to develop their skills in making meaning

from texts, a key component of literacy acquisition and a skill that is transferable between all languages.

‘Languages Matter’ ForumIt was pleasing to see many of our families take advantage of the Christian College ‘Languages Matter’ on 16th August at Middle School Highton. Guest speakers presented on the following topics:• How language study can enhance student’s future career

opportunities.• How ex-Christian College students are utilising their second

language in the workplace or university sector.• How learning a second language in Year 12 can improve a

student’s ATAR score. Intercultural understanding and skills in other languages are some of the essential skills and knowledge required for effective participation in an increasingly cultural and linguistically diverse world. Our students at Christian College are certainly well prepared through our L.O.T.E opportunities to be vibrant and active contributors as global citizens, particularly as we continue to develop our relationships in Asia and abroad.

Supporting Victims of the Japanese Earthquake and TsunamiOur support for our friends in Japan extends well beyond the classroom. Recently, our Project Care teams under the direction of Miss Van Es, organized a ‘crazy clothes’ day for our Junior students and a ‘crazy hair’ day for Middle School students. In an amazing combined campus effort, we were able to raise $650.00 to support the many victims of the Japanese earthquake and resultant tsunami. Thank you to all families for your generous contribution to this most worthy cause.

Scott Elliss Head of Bellarine Campus

‘Crazy Hair Day’ is fun for Georgia White and Megan Kennedy, Year 5

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Science and Mathematics ‘come to life’Early this month students from Years Prep to 2 travelled from Junior School, Belmont to visit their peers at the Christian College Bellarine Campus at Drysdale. Together the students began the day by getting into their House groups ready to participate in Science and Mathematical activities. These included orienteering, exploring aerodynamics through making paper planes and gyrocopters, exploring how to protect a fragile object that is subjected to the forces of gravity, construction with straws to create 3 dimensional shapes and Mathematics board games.Each group consisted of students from both Bellarine Junior School and Junior School Belmont. This allowed a wonderful and rich opportunity for students to make new friends and work together through co-operative learning. It was heartening to see students interacting during recess and lunch time with their new friends and hearing them say ‘good-bye’ to these students, by name, as we were leaving. Some highlights of the day were the shrieks of excitement

The Junior School Report

Junior School Belmont and Junior School Bellarine students

launching their gyrocopters into the air

surrounding the launching of well protected water balloons from a height, to see them either explode or achieve the outcome of remaining intact. Also watching students work together in the orienteering course to complete each challenge and seeing students proudly carrying around their 3D straw constructions provided evidence of an enjoyable day through learning. Students and staff from Junior School Belmont felt very blessed to have shared learning experiences, fellowship and friendship with staff and students from Bellarine on this wonderful day.

Ann-Marie Weigl Deputy Head,

Junior School Belmont

Isla, Grace and Bethany’s amazing straw creation

Sullivan enjoying a game of Snakes and Ladders

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Language Tour Malaysia

The recent trip to Malaysia for 16 Senior students of Indonesian was an exciting opportunity to use their language skills, communicating with locals in Indonesian, which is the most prominent Malay dialect in South East Asia.The tour began with a two day urban adventure in the capital Kuala Lumpur. Students attended language and traditional music classes at the Indonesian Embassy School, learnt more of SE Asian history and religious influences at the National Museum and Mosque and bargained for tropical fruit and souvenirs in a range of traditional markets and modern shopping centres.An overnight home stay in a traditional Malay kampung, surrounded by coffee, cassava, rubber and palm oil plantations, gave students an insight into Muslim family life in a rural community and a taste of delicious traditional home cooked meals.Heading off to the island of Borneo, excitement mounted for the wonderful range of educational, cultural and eco tours that lay ahead. Based in and around Kuching, the capital of Sarawak, students connected with local students on two school visits,

travelled by boat from a traditional fishing village to Bako National Park to see proboscis monkeys and volunteered for a day at the Matang Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre. The rich complexity of the Dayak tribal cultures on display in the Sarawak Culture Park at the beautiful Damai Beach, soon became a reality for the group as they headed up river by long boats for a two night stay with 38 families in a traditional Iban wooden long house in the jungle.

The Malaysia Study Tour proved to be an excellent authentic language and cultural experience and reinforcement of the College LOTE program. The students are now confident travellers, reassured that the Indonesian learnt at school can be used not only in Indonesia but also in everyday communications in Malaysia and other Malay speaking countries in the region.

Mrs Julienne Welsh Teacher of Indonesian

Meeting students at the Indonesian Embassy School in Kuala lumpur

Learning about life and culture in the Iban Long House

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The Benefits of Outdoor Education

Standing on the top of Mt Baw Baw in drizzle and sub-zero temperatures (in February) with Year 12’s this year was not a pleasant experience. It challenged me to think about the value of this in the crowded curriculum. Christian College has, however, always believed in, and supported Outdoor Education as not co-curriculum but as a subject which can be elected from Years 9 to 12.

Value of Outdoor EducationOnce off the mountain and warming by a much appreciated fire, the group’s attitude, which underpins the philosophy of Outdoor Education at Christian College was really evident; a philosophy that promotes self-esteem, resourcefulness, independence, interdependence, leadership, judgement, co-operation, tolerance and determination. Whilst the goal of engendering love of the bush and appreciation of God’s creation was difficult with the bleak conditions, most of the students had experienced some of the best natural environments in Victoria and had developed an awareness of issues confronting these places.

Year 12 resultsThose Year 12 students are now relaying the issues of environmental change and recreation impacts on Baw Baw and native forest logging in the Thomson water catchment to the theoretical concepts tested in SACS and the exam. The overall results in Outdoor and Environmental Studies have been 35% above the state average and 2 students

achieved Premier Awards in 2009 for perfect scores. Since 1995, 26% of our Year 12s have achieved a study score in the top 5% of the State. We attribute much of this success to the sequential program begun in Year 9. Students have developed skills and awareness in the ocean, rivers and many land based activities/environments - which can all be used in Year 12 studies.

Outdoor Education StaffChristian College has 8 staff teaching Outdoor Education. At Senior School, all are Remote First Aid trained, have extensive experience and qualifications in a variety of environments and love sharing it with students in great places – in fact it can involve staff spending up to 45 nights a year away with students! This means that unlike most schools we do not have to outsource our program to private organisations that do not have the same connection to the philosophy of a school or its individual students.

Careers in the OutdoorsMany Outdoor Ed. students have proceeded to study or work in related fields since leaving school. Some have taken the Environmental Science or Engineering route, others Tourism, but many have trained at University to become teachers or at TAFE to become Outdoor guides. In Victoria the outdoor industry is worth $185 million and employs 2500 and that is excluding schools. Outdoor leaders transitioning to other careers have been popular because of working

and making decisions under pressure and great understanding of interpersonal relationships – not dress sense however! I am also pleased to see many of our past students working as leaders on our programs or just participating in lifelong outdoor recreative pursuits or living sustainably with an awareness of their country.Now it is winter, and the Year 12’s tramp and sit in the Breamlea saltmarsh looking for a sighting of the elusive Orange Bellied Parrot in similar weather to Baw Baw last summer. I reflect on what an outstanding opportunity it has been to combine the education of the mind, body and soul through experience outdoors. Nature can be cruel, but we have no choice but to live with it. With the increasing technological, ‘value free’ and consumer-comfort age, Outdoor Education has an important role to play and can have the added bonus of a great ATAR score.

John Tatnell Head of Outdoor Education

A personal reflection after reaching the summitSurfing is a popular activity in Outdoor Education