Principal’s Message After a 5 year break, I am soon to re-enter the world of teaching someone to drive again. For some of you, this may conjure up exciting memories from your own experiences, while for others this is an unknown adventure that lies somewhere ahead in your future. Gone are the days when I spent barely two months on my L’s before picking up my P’s for a year, then on my way as a fully licensed driver. The process of getting a Drivers License is not the only thing to have changed though. Back in 1984, I know there was less traffic on the roads; the cars didn’t seem to be as fancy (although in twenty years’ time we will probably be saying the same about our current cars), and I do not recall there being as much road rage. When I get in the car now, everyone seems to be in a hurry and people seem very keen to blast their horn or communicate their frustration with other drivers, with very clear language or gestures. In short, I feel like everyone is less patient in their cars than they used to be. Is it possible that in a world where so much is now at our fingertips, we have grown to be less patient than we once were. My computer gives me access to so much, from just a few touches of my fingertips, yet how often do I get frustrated with the speed of the internet or the time it takes to open up a program. Patience seems to be a very easy thing to lose. Yet Paul, in this passage to the Colossians (see Shining Light to the left), tells us we need to clothe ourselves with patience. Investing in someone, not giving up on them when things are not moving as quickly as you would like them to, remaining calm, kind and gentle when others are responding with anger and frustration; these are all examples of showing patience. God calls us to be patient just as He is patient with us. We constantly fall short of God’s Holy standards; things in ourselves that we know are not pleasing to God, yet we continue to do them. We all have these things in our lives, yet in his love, God displays patience towards us. What are the things that stretch your patience? Ask God to clothe you with patience this week and to help you stay patient in those circumstances that challenge it. As Christians, we are called to be light in a world of darkness. Showing patience is one way we can stand out as different and help to honour the name of Jesus. God bless, Ian Liney Lighthouse News Week 9, Term 1 27 th March 2017 www.facebook.com/wyongccs www.twitter.com/wyongccs (@wyongccs) A Ministry of Wyong Baptist Church OUR MISSION To provide a Christian educational community founded on Biblically based beliefs, values and behaviour. We do this to equip young people to be responsible and responsive disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ. SHINING LIGHT Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Colossians 3:12-14 Find our free School App on the App Store or Google Play by searching ‘Wyong Christian Community School’.
Transcript
WCCS
Page 1 Newsletter
Principal’s Message
After a 5 year break, I am soon to re-enter the world of teaching
someone to drive again. For some of you, this may conjure up
exciting memories from your own experiences, while for others this
is an unknown adventure that lies somewhere ahead in your future.
Gone are the days when I spent barely two months on my L’s before picking up
my P’s for a year, then on my way as a fully licensed driver.
The process of getting a Drivers License is not the only thing to have changed
though. Back in 1984, I know there was less traffic on the roads; the cars didn’t
seem to be as fancy (although in twenty years’ time we will probably be saying the
same about our current cars), and I do not recall there being as much road rage.
When I get in the car now, everyone seems to be in a hurry and people seem very
keen to blast their horn or communicate their frustration with other drivers, with
very clear language or gestures. In short, I feel like everyone is less patient in
their cars than they used to be.
Is it possible that in a world where so much is now at our fingertips, we have
grown to be less patient than we once were. My computer gives me access to so
much, from just a few touches of my fingertips, yet how often do I get frustrated
with the speed of the internet or the time it takes to open up a program.
Patience seems to be a very easy thing to lose. Yet Paul, in this passage to the
Colossians (see Shining Light to the left), tells us we need to clothe ourselves with
patience. Investing in someone, not giving up on them when things are not
moving as quickly as you would like them to, remaining calm, kind and gentle
when others are responding with anger and frustration; these are all examples of
showing patience. God calls us to be patient just as He is patient with us.
We constantly fall short of God’s Holy standards; things in ourselves that we know
are not pleasing to God, yet we continue to do them. We all have these things in
our lives, yet in his love, God displays patience towards us.
What are the things that stretch your patience? Ask God to clothe you with
patience this week and to help you stay patient in those circumstances that
challenge it. As Christians, we are called to be light in a world of darkness.
Showing patience is one way we can stand out as different and help to honour the
Parent Teacher Interviews Parent Teacher Interviews will take place on the following dates: Wednesday, 26th April from 3:30pm to 5:30pm (Middle & Senior) Thursday, 27th April from 3:30pm to 8:30pm (Whole School) Junior School Interviews will be held in the relevant classrooms and Middle & Senior School Interviews will be held in the Multi-Purpose Centre. Please refer to the information letter on Page 11 for details on how to book. Please note: Middle & Senior School teachers who work less than 3 days a week, will only be available on Thursday, 27th April.
Celebration Assemblies & Easter Service Our end of term Celebration Assemblies will be held on Friday, 7th April in our MPC at the following times: Junior School - 9am Middle & Senior School - 11:40am Parents of award recipients will be notified via email at the end of the day on Monday, 3rd April. Our Easter Service will be held at 2pm on Friday, 7th April. We would love for you to join us.
Lost Property Lost Property is overflowing. If your child has lost an item of clothing, please ask them to check Lost Property before the end of the term. Lost Property will be cleaned out during the holidays.
Bake Sale Fundraiser This Friday, 31st March, some of our students have organised a Bake Sale Fundraiser, raising money for international refugees. Baked treats will be available for purchase under D Block for 20c to $2.50.
Cross Country Our school Cross Country will be held on Friday, 28th April (Week 1, Term 2).
Concert Band Concert Band rehearsals scheduled for the last day of school (Friday, 7th April) will not be held, due to the Celebration Assemblies and Easter Service happening on this day.
Canteen Please note that our school’s Canteen Menu was updated this year. If you have an old Canteen Menu at home, please throw it out. Our updated 2017 Menu can be found on our School App or website. Please also remember to write your child’s full name and class on the order bag. Thank you.
Do you love WCCS? If you love WCCS, we would love for you to share your thoughts about our school. There are many ways that you can do this. Some suggestions are below:
Tell a friend or family member about WCCS
Leave a review of our school on our social media pages (e.g. Facebook and GooglePlus)
‘Share’ our Facebook page on your social media
Comment on one of our Facebook sponsored posts One of our best forms of ‘advertising’ is still word of mouth, and we greatly appreciate what our school community does to promote our school. Thank you.
Pray for the safety of our students, staff and parent helpers as they embark on a three day journey. Pray that our students will find their inner strength to overcome the challenges that they will face. Please also pray for good weather for our Year 8 Hike this week.
Pray for the Wyong Community Family Fair taking place this Sunday. Pray for good weather and a great turn out. Pray that all guests will feel extremely welcome and that this will be a opportunity for Wyong Baptist Church and our school to shine God’s light to our extended community. Pray that the message from the Easter presentation will be realised by those who don’t yet know God.
Pray for our Year 12 students who start their Half Yearly Examinations next week. Pray that the students will have a clear mind so that they can perform their best. Pray for any students who may feel anxious about their exams, and that they will feel God’s presence and peace with them as they prepare for and sit the exams.
Pray for our school’s Easter Service next Friday and for other upcoming Easter church services. Pray that the message of Jesus’ death and resurrection will give hope to all those in our school community and beyond.
Give thanks for the upcoming school holidays. Pray for God’s protection over our students, families, staff and school grounds. Pray that these holidays will be relaxing break from the busyness of school, and that students and staff will be rejuvenated for the start of Term 2.
Prayer Points
Join us this Sunday, 2nd April from 1-6pm! There will be plenty of entertainment, rides, stalls and much more.
Wyong Community Family Fair
WCCS
Page 4 Newsletter
Student Residential Address Collection
WCCS
Page 5 Newsletter
Junior School News The term might be coming to an end, but we still have heaps of exciting activities running. Last week, Year 3 braved the elements and ventured up to Alison Homestead Museum. The students were amazed at how different things were in the ‘olden days’. Some of the students were suitably daunted by the discipline used in times gone by; the ‘cane’ was fascinating to them. My recollection of the cane is not so pleasant, no doubt there are a few older fellows in our parent community that have similar memories. Another Year 3 learning activity was had by their teacher, Mr Jones, who travelled to Adelaide to attend the God’s Big Story Conference. Mr Jones will be assisting our Junior School teachers embed the principles of our Christian metanarrative into everything we teach to our young disciples. Crazy Hair Day Picnic and Lunchtime Concert (Thursday, 6th April from 1-2pm) Next week we will be finishing the term in fine style with our Crazy Hair Day and lunchtime concert. Our Year 6 Events team have been busy auditioning the performers for the concert. The team will be coordinating and presenting all aspects of the concert from the auditions to the run sheet, technical operations and hosting of the event. Crazy Hair Day is our adaptation of the World’s Greatest Shave and the gold coin donations will be forwarded to the Leukaemia Foundation. It would be great if you could pray for good weather; however, we will still go ahead with the concert regardless of the weather. We will simply move to the B-block veranda. You are cordially invited to bring your picnic blankets, camping chairs and all of your friends. We are going to have too much fun. Please don’t feel obliged to spend money on expensive hair sprays and colours. It might be an opportunity to discuss stewardship with your kids. Is it worthwhile spending $10 on hairspray or wigs to donate $2 to a charity? This could be a very interesting conversation. Chat soon, God bless Mr Paul Marks | Head of Junior School | [email protected]
Assessment Tasks Due Coding Club In Term 2, Mr Holland will be starting up a Coding Club. Students in Years 5–9 will be invited to attend the lunchtime club. Coding is a skill that many students have an interest in and it opens up a realm of opportunities in post school training and employment. It will be great to give our students the opportunity to explore the potential gifts of logic that God may have given to some of our students. It is hoped that students may be able to work on their own interest projects, take up some coding challenges and possibly enter some challenges that are offered outside our school. Year 8 Hike Our annual Year 8 Hike is going ahead this week, after being postponed due to the inclement weather of the previous weeks. Please pray for the 70 students, staff and parents as they trudge their way through the wilderness between Katoomba and Jenolan caves on Wednesday to Friday this week. Rewards BBQ Next Wednesday, we will finish up Term 1 with our Middle School Rewards BBQ. It is a time where we can celebrate the end of term, but also acknowledge those who have consistently made a positive contribution to the school. Students who have managed to not receive a detention in Term 1 will be entitled to a free sausage sandwich and drink. Other students will also be able to join us but will need to purchase their food and drink, which will cost $2 for each item. Last day of term On the last day of each term (Friday, 7th April), we celebrate with a Celebration Assembly. Select students are recognised for their efforts at school by receiving an award. Parents of those students receiving an award will be emailed. That afternoon at 2pm, we will also celebrate Easter with special Chapel service. Our parents are always welcome to worship with us at these special events. Mr Stephen Moody | Head of M iddle School | [email protected] .edu.au
WEEK 9
Year 7 Year 8 Year 9
- - English
- - Music
- - Science
WEEK 10
Year 7 Year 8 Year 9
English English History
Mathematics Mathematics Information & Software Tech.
Senior School News Year 10 On Friday, 17th March, eleven Year 10 students attended the Generation Next Leadership & Well Being Seminar. The seminar was held at the Telstra Building in George Street, Sydney, and focussed on four specific areas: How to Have a Healthy Relationship with Your Mobile & Using Social Media for Good Consent & Healthy Relationships for Teens Helping a Mate: Mental Health First Response Unlocking Your Inner Genius: Resilience, Learning & Wellbeing It was a very worthwhile day and I was extremely proud of the behaviour of our students. One of the things I particularly enjoyed was the discussions I could have with our students about the content of the presentations. It was interesting to note that so much of what was presented and being justified through research was really actually Biblical Principles but framed in different language. Jesus spoke 2000 years ago about the importance of considering other’s needs, being compassionate towards those around us, not getting caught up in the worries of this world and finding our hope and security in Him. All of these messages were given to the students throughout the presentations, but there was no reference made to the true author of such noble ideas. Personally I couldn’t help but reflect again on our wonderful creator who truly is all knowing. Year 11 On Tuesday, 14th March, Year 11 travelled to Wyong Race Course to be involved in the RYDA Road Safety Education Program. Given that road and traffic related injuries are the number one cause of death for 18–25 year olds, it was a great opportunity to be reminded of the dangers of driving and what protective measures can be undertaken to avoid negative consequences. It was also tremendously heartening to have the presenters involved in the day commend our students on their behaviour and engagement. Bendigo Bank was one of the sponsors of the day and included a gift of a $100 student account. Grace Berry was the lucky recipient of the random prize draw. Year 12 All students in Year 12 received their Half Yearly Examination Timetable last Wednesday to help them prepare for their upcoming assessments. They should be heavily invested in going over their summary notes, completing practise questions and referencing course syllabuses. Their examinations commence on Monday of Week 10 (3rd April) and run for four days. As we move towards the Easter holidays, may this be a season of reflection on the true reason why we celebrate Easter and all that Christ has done for us. It would be lovely if you could join us for our Easter Service at 2pm on Friday, 7th April. God bless, Mr Darren Milligan | Assistant Principal & Head of Senior School | [email protected]
Secondary Careers News Hi, my name is Suzanne Stein and I am the Careers Adviser here at school. I also coordinate Creative Arts in the school. Lunchtime Careers Chats This year, we are trying a new initiative to help students get an insight into the world of work. Lunchtime Careers Talks, for Years 7-12, will happen once or twice a term. We are hoping to have a range of different people from the community come and talk about their career. These people will be a mix of industry professionals; alumni, friends and parents. Please make sure your child looks on the e-noticeboards for when and where the careers talks will happen. Next term, we will be welcoming two ex-students who will be talking about Policing and Army gap year, and the construction industry. This is a great chance for students from all year groups to ask questions and hear a little more about jobs they may be interested in. Year 10 Work Experience (22-26 May) & Parent Teacher Interviews Information Session All Year 10 students are expected to organize a week of work experience. Forms for this are on the CANVAS Careers page and students should have started filling out these forms in their Careers lessons. Please encourage your child to complete the paperwork and contact the host employer. Forms should be returned to school by the end of Week 1, Term 2. During Parent Teacher Interviews (Week 1, Term 2) there will be a short presentation about work experience where you will have a chance to ask questions and clarify any concerns you may have. These sessions will be held in the Mezzanine in our MPC at 5pm and 7pm on Thursday, 27th April and will run for around 15 minutes. To make a booking for this group session, you will need to select ’Year 10 Careers & Work Experience’ as your child’s subject, then ‘Mrs S Stein’ as the teacher. If you have any further questions regarding Careers in our school, please email me. Mrs Suzanne Stein | Creative Arts Learning Leader | [email protected] .edu.au
Middle & Senior School Sport
THACCCSA Zone Swimming Carnival On Thursday, 9th March, 35 students represented WCCS at the THACCCSA Zone Swimming Carnival which was held at Mingara. All the students showed wonderful sportsmanship both in the water and in the stands. Their support through cheering and having a great attitude in the team relays was exceptional. The students who competed were: Ben Berry, Tahlia Blanshard, Alex Buhr, Amelia Bull, Josie Campbell, Lucy Campbell, Jacob Case, Morgan Chudleigh, Jemimah Clark, Olivia Cotterill, Ethan Dunn, Patrick Farrell, Jack Harris, Billy Joester, Grace Kirkland, Holly Liney, Lachlan Liney, Lauren Marsh, Connor McGregor, Jesse Milligan, Halli Moore, Joshua Morrow, Riley Nolan, Lachlan Rainger, Kody Ryan, Erik Shoeman, Waldo Shoeman, Edan Sirone, Ethan Slade, Emily Smithers, Mikaela Stubbs, Katherine Taylor, Jye Whalan, Ariella Zofrea and Holly Zylmans. Out of the 37 students who went, 20 students will be heading off to CSSA State on Monday, 27th March. Overall, WCCS came 3rd, behind Greenpoint and Belmont. A special mention to Holly Zylmans and Alex Buhr who came 3rd in their overall champion points for their age group. Congratulations WCCS for representing your school to a high standard. A wonderful, encouraging group of parents should also be thanked for their help and a big thank you to Mrs Rainger and Mr Kirchner for completing the official duties on the day. A big shout out also goes to Senior students, Lauren and Edan, who helped on the day. Mrs Xanthe Boyce | Coach | [email protected] .edu.au
CMT Retreat Last weekend, eleven Year 11 students went with Mr Bridgland and Mrs Drennan on their first Christian Ministry & Theology Retreat for the year. Also on the retreat, were four students from Tyndale Christian School in Sydney. The weekend was full of some good Bible teaching, where the students learnt more about the Bible, how it is put together and what the different types of literature in the Bible are, as well as learning more about how to exegete a passage from the Bible. They also enjoyed looking at the big picture of the Bible, and understanding how stories make up a part of our own lives and how we can learn from them. All the students enjoyed mixing together, developing stronger friendships and making new ones. There was also time for some solitude where the students had the opportunity to spend time on their own, focusing on listening to God speak to them through His word, music and creation. During free time in the afternoon, they enjoyed swimming and most of them went kayaking with Mr Bridgland and Mrs Drennan while a few stayed back and chatted the afternoon away (or worked on Assessment Tasks!). The students were outstanding in their attitude, behaviour and contribution to the weekend. It’s a privilege to see these young people taking their Christian maturity so seriously and passionately. We are looking forward to the next weekend away in June. Mr Trevor Bridgland & Mrs Glenys Drennan | CMT Teachers [email protected][email protected]
Our Duke students have been preparing for their first expedition. Last week, they did a weighted pack and “hiking boots” walk around the school as part of their preparation. Reminder: Preliminary Expedition- Blue Mountains National Park- Glen Brook Thursday, 6th April – Friday, 7th April. Students will be travelling to and from expedition by the school bus. Depart: 7am on 6th April to arrive at National Park by approx. 9am Return: 3pm on 7th April All packs need to be handed in to the office for weight check by Tuesday, 4th April 2017. Mrs Bianca Vieiro | Duke of Edinburgh Coordinator | [email protected] .edu.au
Laserblast at Charmhaven, owned by the Francis family in our school, are hosting a fundraiser for one of our students, Ebony Nolan in Year 6, who will be undertaking medical treatment in the US. This Thursday, 30th March from 4-9pm, Laserblast are offering 3 games of Laser Tag for $20 per person (discounted rate). All proceeds after costs will go to the Nolan family. Students, friends and families are welcome and encouraged to attend. More details of the fundraiser can be found via the Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/626907997494034/ There will also be some fun activities and giveaways on the night. Contact Wendy Francis from Laserblast via phone (4392 5278) or email ([email protected]) for more information or to book your place.
