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An Exciting New Direction :. 10Progression Within the Arts :. 13IN FOCUS2 0 1 3

S e p t e m b e r

Cover Story :. 6

100 Plus Reasons to be Pleased

This year the College has seen the successful

implementation of the 100 Plus Program at each of

the Junior and Middle Schools. The program involves

a new daily structure with shorter 40 minute learning

sessions that can be blocked as single, double or

triple sessions according to the subject area and the

lesson prepared by the teacher. The 8 sessions each

day replaced the previous 6 periods of 50 minutes

creating 100 additional face to face teaching minutes

each week for the students.

This initiative came about following a thorough

audit and review of our Middle School program

and many hours researching and investigating best

practice including visiting and hearing leading world

educators on the future needs of students in the

21st Century.

The introduction of the program coincided with

the Phase One implementation of the Australian

curriculum in English, Mathematics, Science and

History. As a result we have been able to graft on

the new aspects of the curriculum in these areas as

well as maintain the strong emphasis on the musical,

sporting, camping and service elements of our

educational framework.

The restructure of the daily schedule has also

enabled the teaching staff to refine and hone their

teaching practice creating ‘punchier’ and clearly

focused lessons that provide greater engagement

and vitality in classroom sessions for our students.

We are continuing to review and revise the program

as we gain greater insights and collaborate to

continue to see this program flourish. I am confident

that, as we see this program reach its full potential,

our students will have greater success in reaching

educational outcomes.

New Vision Learning Program for Year Five

We are continuing to seek the very best programs to

support our students for the future. I am delighted

to share with families that commencing in 2014 our

Year 5 students will experience a new and exciting

program as part of their studies. In addition to the

core emphasis on Literacy and Numeracy we have

selected a team of our staff to introduce an Inquiry

Based Learning approach which incorporates

Geography, History and aspects of Christian

Education. Other specialist areas of study may

also be included to enhance a particular unit. The

program to be called ‘Vision Learning’ will follow a

pedagogy based on the constructivist approach to

learning, that generates knowledge and meaning

from experience and collaboration with other learners.

This rigorous approach is active, experiential and

hands-on. It interacts with deep academic and

technical content through problems and projects

that are linked to school, the student’s community

and relevant interests. The key feature of this

approach is the emphasis to connect students to

the world outside of their classroom and to assist

them in the journey towards life and work in the

21st century. With the ease of access to information,

this approach to learning takes a clear direction that

supports students to think critically and to assess

information available to them authentically.

The teacher’s role in this approach changes from

‘information provider’ to one of ‘facilitator’ who

assists the students to learn. This rich process

involves multi-disciplinary tasks that are aimed to

build knowledge. It is relational in that the learning

is enhanced through social connection with other

learners, connections with others including teachers,

community and their own families.

The program takes into account the multiple

intelligences that include;

• Kinesthetic–beingbodysmart

• Linguistic–beingwordsmart

• Logical–beingnumbersmart

• Interpersonal–beingpeoplesmart

• Intrapersonal-beingmyselfsmart

• Musical-beingmusicsmart

• Visual/Spatial-beingpicturesmart

• Naturalistic-beingnaturesmart

Recognizing and building the full range of the

abilities and talents for the students, it also develops

the personal development of each student,

providing them with process tools (thinking, IT skills

through ITC and communication) and process skills

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(teamwork, collaboration, as well as development of

emotional intelligence) to facilitate powerful learning

now and for the future.

The program will be highly supported through

technology with access to 1:1 devices (details further

in this article) as well as being rigorous with clear

expectations and learning outcomes that are assessed

authentically as the tasks relate strongly with the learner.

As a result, students experience greater empowerment

as learners, greater participation in the learning as

well as greater accountability as they reflect upon and

self-assess aspects of their learning. The program itself

provides a rich, authentic focus on the task process, the

skills and understandings, rather than recall of facts.

The process of inquiry will follow three defined phases.

An Immersion stage which is designed to provide a

context, engagement for the students as well as to

teach the skills that will be required to complete the

Rich task at the end of the process. The middle phase,

the Petit Inquiry stage allows the students to explore a

small aspect of the topic, share their findings, develop

and improve research skills with some teacher direction,

as well as IT and communication skills. These tasks are

open ended allowing for differentiation within the class

to cater for levels of student abilities and provide a level

of choice as well as a variety of means of presentation.

The concluding stage culminates with a showcase

or performance piece for the unit. Here students are

allowed to present the existing skills, new skills that

they have developed as well as the knowledge and

understanding gained. They direct the inquiry, develop

their own questioning, plan independently and present

their work in a variety of ways. The tasks will be aimed at

making a difference in some authentic way.

IamdelightedthatMr.DavidKehler,whohasextensive

experience and qualifications in this area, has accepted

the role of overseeing and leading the implementation

of this exciting Vision Learning project. It is planned that

the exemplar group of staff selected to teach Year 5 at

both Middle Schools will introduce this vitally important

approach to learning across our Middle Schools in

coming years, as well as influence the development of

learning in our Junior Schools in preparation for Year 5.

Rolling out 1:1 Devices in 2014

The use of technology in education has become a

central tool for learning. Access to information and the

means of communicating with others is a powerful

instrument in providing students with efficient processes

when completing learning tasks.

In the June edition of In Focus I informed families of the

investigations that the College was conducting as we

address providing our students with the best access to

appropriate Information Technology.

In 2014 we will be introducing 1:1 devices for all

students in Year 5 and 7 to support the introduction of

the new learning initiatives such as the Vision Learning

program. We will be conducting Information sessions

for families about the program and the devices at each

Middle School campus early next term. We will outline

there the features of the program, the cost and lease

arrangements for the device and the details of the

support package that comes with each student’s device.

The company supplying the device has established

programs in a wide range of schools throughout Victoria

including a number in Geelong. Your Head of Campus

will inform you when the information sessions are to be

conducted. I encourage all families of Year 4 students to

attend to learn firsthand how exciting this opportunity

will be for your children to be a part of what I believe

to be a most exciting and impacting learning program

for our College. Families of students in Year 6 and

new students enrolled for Year 7 in 2014 will receive

information packs about the device early next term

outlining the details of their device and the support

package provided.

Term 3 has certainly been an extremely busy one. The

vast range of learning that takes place within our College

is diverse. I am grateful for all the support that our staff,

students and families provide to make our community

the rich place for learning that it is.

I thank God for all that He provides for us.

Glen McKeeman Principal.

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The conclusion of Term 3 means that the journey of our Year 12

students is almost at an end. All their units of English work have

now been completed; all that remains is their final examination

looming large on the horizon. The final exam is a gruelling three

hours, during which students are required to write three very

distinct pieces of writing that will determine 50% of their English

ATAR score. In terms of their academic studies for English, this

examination is the culmination of 13 years in the classroom.

While very few students walk into the examination brimming

with confidence, their time with us has equipped them with the

necessary skills they need to be successful.

One of the great privileges of my role as Director of English is that

I am able to see the ‘big picture’ of English Studies at Christian

College. I have the benefit of being able to step back from the single

lesson and the distinct year level and see the journey as a whole.

And wow, what a journey it is! Let me share with you just a few

snippets of the great learning that has occurred in our Middle and

Senior classrooms over the course of this year to help you see the

path that our Year 12 students have taken before they walk into that

examination hall in October.

Our Year 5 students began the year with a focus on spelling.

Teachers used diagnostic testing of the students’ work to identify

common errors and then focused their teaching on these

weaknesses, as well as concentrating on commonly misspelled

words. Students continue to see marked improvement in their

spelling through this process. Alongside this, students worked

on persuasive writing, developing correct structure and ways of

utilising powerful language, all whilst continuing to work on their

hand-writing (an essential skill for Year 12 as all assessment tasks are

written by hand).

Students in Year 6 explored heroes, legends and mythical creatures

earlier in the year and used this study to develop their narrative

writing. This included the specific structure of a narrative and how

to use language to engage the reader. As well as narrative writing,

students advanced their comprehension skills through a program

that identifies particular areas of strength and weakness, allowing

teachers to target their teaching to the specific needs of their

students.

Year 7 students looked at the area of sustainability through one

of their texts and presented an ‘in-character’ oral presentation to

display their understanding of the Sudanese War and the plight of

the people it has affected. These students also looked at ‘Image as

Text’, focusing on decoding, comprehending and responding to

images and advertisements to understand how images are able to

tell a story and position an audience to respond in a particular way.

In Year 8, students compiled their first text-response essay, and

their writing portfolio which is developed throughout the year.

These pieces of work are a testament to the progression in their

writing during their Year 8 studies. Oral presentations continued to

evolve from being purely informative to becoming more emotive,

entertaining and engaging in the way students presented their

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Students in Year 10 took their text-response writing to

a higher level whilst studying their first Shakespearean

play, ‘Romeo and Juliet’. Furthermore, they were

introduced to the challenging concept of ‘Context

Writing’ as well as beginning to more deeply analyse

newspaper articles to understand how authors use

language to persuade. Students in Year 10 have also

faced the challenge of addressing essay topics unsighted

for assessment and under stringent time constraints as

the ante is lifted in preparation for VCE.

Year 11 English is a preparatory course to prepare

students for the rigours of their final year. The course is

designed to replicate the Year 12 course with students

undertaking the same areas of study and completing

assessment tasks under the same conditions. Teaching

has been focused on the key content and skills required

to be successful in Year 12, consolidating and refining

the variety of writing forms and the nuances required to

produce writing of a high standard. The high demands

of the Year 11 course are designed to prepare students

academically as well as mentally for their final year.

Of course, this is only a mere snap shot of what goes

on, lesson by lesson, year by year, in your child’s English

class. Hopefully it helps you to get an understanding of

the journey towards that final, three hour examination.

content and considered the audience they are aiming

to reach.

Year 9 students delved even more deeply into their

texts to unpack the authorial construction of themes

and characters and developed greater complexity in

their text-response essays. They were also introduced

to Shakespeare’s life and works; wrestling with the

language and presenting a monologue.

The move to the Senior Campus brings with it a focus

on the specific requirements of VCE English.

If you walked into a Year 12 classroom and asked a

student, “Are you ready for the exam?” Chances are

you will be met with a look of anxiety and a vehement,

“No!”. But this is only because they are focused on what

lies ahead of them. If they looked back momentarily

to see how far they have come with their English skills

they would realise they are ready. Well, at least they will

be come October!

On behalf of all English teachers at CCG, we wish

our Year 12 students the very best in their final

examinations.

Damian StephensonDirector of Teaching & Learning- English

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For more than ten years, the staff and students

of Christian College have been committed

to supporting our friends in East Timor. It is a

bond of friendship and love which continues to

strengthen year after year as we work towards

common goals.

Education is such an important element in

helping our Timorese friends build a positive

future for themselves, their families and their

whole country. Continuing to be friends and

offering our support encourages them to work

hard and creates opportunities and exciting

outcomes for them.

After the establishment of the ‘Friendship House’,

threeKinderclasses,theAccommodationHouse,

the building of two new schools at Craras and

Ratahau, and the training of our East Timor staff

here in Australia, we now sponsor 20 students

enabling them to go University. Without our

continued support, most of them would not be

able to continue their education.

It was in the year 2000 that Christian College

decided they would dedicate themselves to the

village of Viqueque for 20 years, providing them

with opportunities, support and encouragement

to better their own lives and most of all make

lifelong friendships that will never be forgotten

by those who have visited East Timor or our

friends in Viqueque.

The people in the villages now have the ability to educate

the younger generation. Those children now have the

opportunity to learn and grow, something that was minimal

and only offered to a few before. It also has allowed this

community to have a sense of ownership for something they

built for themselves.

Along with these major projects, students and staff from

Christian College have supplied writing materials, sporting

equipment, books, medical supplies, taught English lessons,

trained teachers and donated many other important daily

and educational necessities.

The next major program we wish to commence is the

building of a twenty-room hostel for tourists and visitors

who wish to visit Viqueque in East Timor. You may not

know that there are hundreds of people who would love to

visit Viqueque but there are no hotels or accommodation

available for them to stay in.

The East Timorese would therefore run this small business;

to bring much needed income into the village. Forty beds,

a restaurant, eco-tourism bus trips around the jungle, a gift

shop, and a small gathering facility would all be

available to those who would wish to visit.

This would be a two-stage development with our

aim to raise $200,000 dollars over the next two

years. Yes it is a very big ask - but it is possible if

we all work together!

Over the course of the next few terms, we will be

running a number of fundraising activities which

will continue to run for the next two years. We

want and need your help to bring happiness and

hope to our friends in East Timor.

Madison Riddle- School Vice-Captain

The 2013 Prefects are working to raise the $200,000

through a Trivia night (already raising $6271) and

working with Rotary Clubs and through other

fundraising efforts. The 2014 Year 12 students will

continue this amazing effort to reach the goal.

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The Prefect Trip to East Timor was life changing!

It was absolutely amazing. Since being back in

Australia it has been hard to put words to the

experience. How can I describe something that

altered me on another level?

When you fly into the Timor airport you get more

of a ‘bus shelter vibe’ than an airport one. I was

shocked! There we were in the middle of Dili the

capital, and there was not one skyscraper, nothing

that resembled the great cities of the western world

was there.

For me, the culture shock was pretty extreme, but

as I spent more time in Timor it was not just the

infrastructure that shocked me. I have never met a

culture of people who were so loving. Everything the

Timorese did for us was out of love. When we were

there we were blessed with their time, friendship and

hospitality. On the way to Viqueque the people by

the side of the road would smile and wave and say

hello to us even though we were complete strangers.

It’s overwhelming to experience such kindness from

strangers, when in our culture nobody smiles and

waves to people they do not know.

The first day when we got to Viqueque, we were

greeted by excited children who lived close by and

who wanted to come and say ‘hello’ and play with

us. They remembered Christian College because

we always come back, and once again I was over

whelmed by their eagerness to show me friendship

when I had never met them before. And that’s what

it was like every day, we would wake up and walk

outside and there would be children waiting to

be our friends. That was my favourite thing I think,

being completely accepted and loved without any

hesitation.

I think going to East Timor reminded me what it

really was to be a leader, and that is to be humble

and to serve. It was nice to be reminded of

something I am sure at times I have forgotten. The

people of Timor also gave me a driving motivation

to be better in every aspect. They showed me what it

is like to live without judging, and making the most

of what you have got no matter how small it is. I

thought we were going over to teach and help them,

but really it was the other way around, they were the

ones teaching and helping us.

Ivy O’Dwyer- School Captain

It was my second trip over to Viqueque and even

though I knew what to expect I was still amazed

again by the love the people showed for us.

East Timor is an amazing place full of beautiful

people who constantly show acts of friendship and

love. They are people who have not got much but

are still always willing to give and are the nicest

people that I have ever met.

The East Timorese have a smile on their face when

they talk to you and no matter who you are, will

always say ‘hello’. It is a place that will always be

close to my heart because it has changed my life

for the better and I have made life-long friends

there too. I will try to go back as often as possible

and suggest, if you get the chance, you should visit

Viqueque too.

I hope we can fundraise a lot this year and can

continue to help out these wonderful people.

Tom Grayson- School Vice-Captain

East Timor Prefects

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The upkeep and running of the school would not be possible without the dedicated Maintenance Team at Christian College.

Across the 4 campuses Christian College have ten staff who put in the time and effort to keep the grounds and buildings well-maintained all year round. There are always new projects on the go and each day can be a new challenge.

Laurie Treloar- All campuses

Maintenance Manager, overseeing all building and grounds maintenance projects and personal.

‘Working with such a self-motivated team who have ownership of their own projects and tasks is really great. Everyone works so well at each campus and as a team on the occasions when we have to come together for the larger tasks. I enjoy this job when we complete a job well and keep the staff and students happy.’

Dan Harwood- Middle School Highton

Maintenance- school repairs, renovations, general upkeep and cabinet making.

‘The reason why I chose to work at Christian College was to change my outlook on work and enjoy it more. It is great being around the students and teachers every day in such a positive environment.’

Andrew Allen- Middle School Highton

Grounds man- gardening, mowing and grounds up-keep. Also emergency bus driver when required.

‘I love the variety of my job here at Christian College. I go to the Back Creek Farm every week and get to interact with the students. It is also great having the flexibility of going to different campuses when they need me.’

Daryl Woods- Middle School Highton

Rubbish collection- empties rubbish bins and keeps the courtyards clean.

‘I have stayed at Christian College for nearly 20 years as I love helping everyone, especially the students and teachers and the people I work with. I love every job that I do and working with my friends.’

Andy Phillips- Senior School

Maintenance, school repairs, renovations and general upkeep.

‘I am quite proud that in my first 10 years of working for Christian College when it was a lot smaller, I looked after the Senior Campus and the Villa on my own. I’ve also been on 7 trips to East Timor as the main builder and have overseen and built the two Friendship Houses.’

Well-Oiled Machine

Jack Sims- Senior School

Grounds man, gardening, mowing and grounds upkeep.

‘I went to school here at Christian College so I knew it would be a great place to work at. I was based in sports turf management but wanted to try something else. I love doing a different task everyday in such a friendly environment.’

Milton Nankervis- Junior School Belmont

Maintenance and Grounds man, school repairs, renovations, general upkeep, gardening, mowing and grounds upkeep.

‘The reason why I love my job is because the envi-ronment in which I work is really great. The staff and students are so friendly, the kids are well behaved and great to be around and I have so much variety in my workday too.

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Piero Barone- Bellerine Campus

Grounds man, gardening, mowing and grounds upkeep.

‘The project that I’ve found most difficult is the creation of the fountain at the front of the Bellarine Campus. To encompass a sculpture, fountain, pathways, edging and lawn was challenging but once I’ve completed it all, it will be great and something I’ll be very happy with.’

Eugene Zonneveld- All campuses

Painter-preparation and painting, some maintenance tasks. Also emergency bus driver when required.

‘The most memorable moment since I started at Christian College has been pressure clean-ing the roof at Middle School. We had to get an 80-foot boom elevated work platform to reach the top and during the holidays we worked until the whole building was cleaned. We had the best view of Geelong, it was so good that it was hard to come down!’

Colin Strack- All campuses

Grounds Manager, general hands-on and over-seeing all of the school grounds men.

‘The most rewarding job I’ve completed is the Senior Campus front driveway. It has been in the works for about 12 months and is now starting to come to fruition. The work we have done really softens the entrance and I think it makes it a more pleasant environment to enter every day for the staff and students.

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An Exciting New Direction

Let me start at the very beginning. The very beginning. Genesis

Chapter 1 tells us that God created the heavens and the earth. Sun,

planets and stars, land and water, birds of the air, fish of the sea,

plants and animals. And then God made man and woman, and

charged them with the responsibility of taking care of all that He

had created. Now, here we are in the 21st century, mankind in the

modern world, challenged by numerous environmental problems

of our own making. How well are we doing at following God’s call

for us to be custodians of His creation?

I saw a slogan recently that read, ‘The location of anything is

becoming everything’. To me, this statement highlights the

important role that Geography as a discipline plays in addressing

some of the key issues facing our planet. Where we live and work,

where we grow our food, access our water, source our energy,

deposit our waste; every ‘location’ presents challenges that

individuals, communities and nations must address for the sake

of our own sustainability. The location of anything is becoming

everything.

It is almost impossible to fathom that just 150 years ago our world

population was a mere one billion people, having taken thousands

of years of human civilisation to get there. Now, we have tipped

beyond 7 billion, and it took just 12 years to add this most recent

billion. This exponential growth has come about largely due

to the industrial revolution, advances in health, education and

technology. The study of Geography at Christian College introduces

students to a world of ‘Why?’, ‘What now?’ and ‘What next?’. Never

has there been a more important time for young people to embark

on a quest to answer these critical questions.

Geography in the Curriculum

From Prep to Year 4, students explore a range of Geography concepts

through the subject Integrated Studies. In the Middle Years students

now study Geography as a distinct subject, having previously been

taught alongside History under the banner of Humanities. This 2013

initiative recognises the unique knowledge and skills acquired through

a study of Geography and the important place it has in its own right in

the academic needs of our students.

At Senior School, a growing interest in career pathways relating to the

environment, resource management, urban planning, architectural

design and civil engineering has seen an increase in the number of

students choosing VCE Geography. For the first time in 2014, Year 12

enrolments in Geography have resulted in the need for two classes.

This has been a major leap forward for the subject, and we now have

a number of teachers transitioning to specialisation in Geography

teaching.

Geography

Year 6 Excursion at Erskine Falls

Year 12 excursion visiting a fruit orchard.

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Geography(Continued)

The Outdoor Classroom

With the recent shift to Geography as a specialised

subject, it has been important to introduce

students to the value of the field experience. Some

wonderful excursions are now included as part of

the Geography curriculum. At Year 6 for instance,

studentsrecentlyvisitedavarietyoflandscapes–

coastal,rainforest,nativebushandfarmland–in

a full-day excursion to investigate the different

habitats and the relationship humans have with

each environment.

One of the major areas of study in Year 12 is the

Murray-Darling Basin region and the competing

uses of water as a resource. A two-day field trip

to Shepparton and the Murray River earlier this

year allowed students to investigate various

sites, including fruit orchards, large-scale farms,

irrigation systems, tourism operators and water

storage locations.

Such outdoor experiences provide students with

firsthand encounters of the interactions between

humans and the physical environment.

A Rich Classroom Learning Environment

It is also important to provide rich, engaging learning

experiences within the classroom. At Year 9, for

instance, a four-week case study sees each student

assume the role of a stakeholder in a hypothetical

development proposal in the township of Anglesea.

Shire councillors, shop owners, accommodation

providers, local residents, surfers, environmental

lobbygroups–allfeatureinamockcouncilmeeting

to determine the fate of the development proposal.

A guest ‘mayor’ presides over the meeting and

decides whether or not, upon weighing up all sides,

the proposal will be approved. This year, the quality

of the preparation, research and resultant arguments

from the students who immerse themselves in their

designated role has been fantastic.

The Australian Curriculum

Exciting times are ahead in 2014 with Phase 2 of

the Australian Curriculum being implemented at

Christian College. This includes a new Geography

course taught to students from Prep all the way to

Year 10, with an emphasis on an inquiry approach

to assist students to make meaning of their world.

In the words of ACARA, the governing body

responsible for the national rollout of the new

curriculum: Students learn to question why the

world is the way it is, reflect on their relationships

with and responsibilities for that world and propose

actions designed to shape a socially just and

sustainable future.

A recent planning day attended by a group of

Christian College Humanities teachers was the

first step in developing what will be a new, vibrant

and relevant Geography course for all students at

all campuses. Whilst being a national curriculum,

students at Christian College will be specifically

encouraged to consider the Christian world view

–thatweareindeedcustodiansofthiswonderful

planet that God created.

Rick Geall

Director of Teaching & Learning- Humanities

Year 11 excursion to Bells Beach to assist the students in the unit Coastal Processes.

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College Chaplains Assisting the Community

The College philosophy states:

‘Students will be encouraged to recognise that they

belong to a world society, and to acknowledge their

responsibility to positively contribute to the relief of the

less privileged in this global community’.

Within Christian College, everyone is encouraged to

assist others in need, to be a shoulder of strength in

times of trouble. Our College Chaplains are prime

examples of this support system and are involved in

helping not only the Christian College students and

staff but also the wider community.

Many of us will remember the horror of Victoria’s

Black Saturday Bushfires on 7th February, 2009. Our

College Leadership team looked at ways our school

could provide a level of support for the communities

which were affected by the 173 deaths and the 414

injuries. At that time Christian College offered the

support of our College Chaplaincy Team, however

we were able to ascertain that accreditation was

required by the Victorian Council of Churches,

Emergencies Ministry and therefore we could not assist.

Since that time some of our College Chaplains have

gained their accreditation as Community Chaplains

and Personal Support Workers. During this term

further training was required and our Middle School

kindly offered to host the training in the Health

Rooms of our Sports and Aquatic Centre. Craig

Campbell, Assistant State Manager VCC Emergencies

Ministry, facilitated the two-day training. Eleven

delegates attended the training and came from a

variety of different ministry areas such as Church

Pastors and School Chaplains. Christian College

Chaplains participation included Rowan Thurman

–JuniorSchool,BartKroon–BellarineCampus

and myself.

The focus of the training was about coming

alongside the affected person and providing

psychological first aid and emotional and spiritual

care during times of trauma. In May of this year,

I was able to offer support when Northern Bay

Junior Campus student, Ebenezer Nur was tragically

killed in a traffic accident in Corio. Although the

situation was heartbreakingly tragic, it was indeed

an honour to offer support to those affected by such

a terrible tragedy. No one who ‘witnesses’ a disaster

is untouched by it.

Robyn Maddock

Chaplain–MiddleSchoolHighton

Victorian Council of Churches Emergencies Ministry Training

VCC

EMERGENCIES MINISTRY

Compassion in Timesof Crisis

Rowan Thurman, Robyn Maddock and Bart Kroon gained their accreditation as Community Chaplains and Personal Support Workers.

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The Visual Arts, Technologies and Design

are a core feature of the Christian College

curriculumfromKindergartenthroughto

VCE. The faculty is staffed by a range of

experienced, creative and engaging teachers,

who develop students’ skills in a wide variety

of subject pathways. It is fantastic to be part

of an environment where the Visual Arts are

a valued and integral part of our community

and where we have multiple opportunities to

exhibit our students’ works.

Art from the Heart

The Visual Arts are one of the main ways

that humans define who they are, and are

reflective of God’s gift of creativity to all of

us. Art in any form, allows the students to

express a sense of identity through their

work and help the greater community as

we have experienced recently at the ‘Art

from the Heart’ Charity exhibition at the

Bellarine Campus.

Students from Prep to Year 6 created

works that were not just multi-cultural, but

transcultural; they invited cross-cultural

communication. The Arts teach openness

towards those who are different from us

by putting us in touch with our own and

other people’s feelings. In doing so the

Visual Arts teach one of the great civilizing

capacities–howtobeempathetic.Inthat

capacity it was fantastic to see that all of the

student’s works sold to raise money for such

a wonderful cause that is the One Hundred

for100CampaignorganisedbyKristiVan

Es; a former P.E teacher at Christian College.

Acknowledgement must go also to Mrs Anne

Young, an inspiring teacher who guided our

students to produce the vibrant, joyous works

in support of such a worthy cause.

Artistic Pathways

It is vital for students to see a pathway and

future for their creative passion, so it is

important for students to have access to

working professionals and to ask questions

to develop deeper understandings of what

is happening in the classroom. It has been

fantastic for us to have local artist Mark

Trinham present to our senior students,

providing an opportunity for them to obtain

an insight into the working life of a Visual Arts

professional. Mark also imparted valuable

knowledge and skills for the students in areas

such as fine art, sculpture, public installations

and graphic design. In addition to this we

have also had a Visual Arts,Technology and

Design extension program at the Villa Paloma

during after school hours where artist Ade

Loe has been running drawing classes for

students, assisting in skill development and

preparations of folios for further education.

Advancing Technology

With the recent introduction of some

new and exciting technologies to the Art,

Technology and Design faculty of a 3D printer

and 4 Axis CNC milling machine, students

have been actively engaging in creating

objects with new and diverse materials from

plastics, metals and timbers in ways that have

not previously been possible.

These technologies have been utilised across

a variety of learning areas including Systems

Engineering, Visual Communication and

Design, Product Design, Visual Arts and Media

Arts. It has been exciting to see students

embracing these new technologies with ease.

The 3D printer has been ‘touring’ around the

campuses to demonstrate to the students

some of the possibilities of the technology

and even the Junior students are actively

asking questions on how they can use it.

Progression within the Arts

The 3D Printer at Villa Paloma

Year 6 student Clare Jarecki with her artwork at the Art from the Heart Exhibition

Mrs Anne Young at the Art From the Heart charity exhibition

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Notable Achievements

Year 12 Studio Arts student Marnie Platt has recently

been short listed in the Cancer Council Victoria Art

Awards 2013 in Melbourne in an open category

of Youth Art (13 to 17 years). Her work is based

around the theme of balance, “Cancer can change

the balance of life. It can bring chaos, confusion, a

sense of clarity, even a sense of empowerment”. We

wish Marnie all the best in her venture and more

importantly that her visual arts can be a positive

element for those experiencing the difficulties of

living with cancer.

Year 11 Studio Arts student Molly Burrage is

continuing her mentorship with local artist Jill

Shalless after winning the Drysdale Rotary club

young artist mentorship program earlier in the year.

We are eagerly awaiting her finished works when she

presents at the Rotary Dinner later in the year.

Year 10 Textiles student Ruby Harris was a Year 10

Victorian finalist in the Woolmark ‘Wool4Skool’

Australia wide competition for 2013 for her ‘Royals’

inspiredKateMiddletondressdesign.

Also the year 9 students Jessica Meddings,

KokoDiSciascioandAlbanyFlanaganreceived

outstanding achievement awards for participating

in the Woolmark Wool4Skool competition of the

same theme.

Year 10 Systems and Engineering students Sophie

Collier and Renee DeVlugt have achieved a second

placing in the recent RoboCup championships at

Scienceworks where their dancing robot was cleverly

choreographed to music.

Year 9 Textiles student from Bellarine Campus,

Phoebe Clark has just completed her ‘Illustration

for Fashion’ scholarship at Whitehouse Institute of

DesignthatshewoninherrecentKickStartOneDay

Styling workshop as part of her Year 9 excursion to a

higher education provider. She has thoroughly loved

this experience.

The Senior Art,Technology and Design staff and I

would also like to pass on our best wishes to all the

Senior students completing their VCE studies this

semester. The Villa Paloma campus is abuzz with

creativity and the activity of students completing

their final production pieces and putting the

finishing touches to their design folios. We wish

them all well in the completion of their work and

their upcoming examinations.

Antony Benson

Acting Director of Teaching & Learning- Art,

Technology & Design

Progression within theArts (Continued)

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Christian College was again blessed this term with the

annual exchange of students from our sister school in Japan-

Naga High School.

19 students from Naga High came over to Australia recently

to stay with 20 different host families and experience

Australia’s rich culture.

The focus of our schools relationship with Naga High School

began with a strong emphasis on tolerance, understanding

and friendship, hoping that we could encourage our

students to see beyond our initial and obvious differences,

and to learn about each others cultures and heritages. The

students from both schools have led the way in developing

life long friendships and building real unity between our two

schools, paving a new way forward and a bright future for

both our countries.

During their time in Geelong, the Naga High students

engaged in College life at the Senior School campus.

They were treated to some fun ‘Aussie’ activities such as

throwing boomerangs, making damper, BBQ’s and, of

course, lots of shopping. They also enjoyed time at each

of the Christian College campuses as well as 2 hours of

English lessons with Mr Brewster almost everyday.

The highlight of the tour for all the staff and students

involved was the opportunity to meet and make new

friends during their time at Christian College and

especially the time spent with their host families.This

allowed them to bond with the Australian students as

well as learn more about life in a completely different

country.

ThePrincipalofNagaHighSchoolYamaguchiKojoand

Misusaki San- Head of the International Association,

also came to Australia during the exchange trip

to commemorate the 20 year Anniversary of the

Christian College and Naga High School friendship and

Exchange Program.

The actual anniversary was in 2012 at which time

representatives from Christian College including 40

students, travelled to Wakayama in Japan to share

this remarkable milestone with the students and staff

from Naga.

It was special that another celebratory dinner could

be held, now in Australia, to sign another agreement

between the two schools.

In celebrating this rare milestone Carol Milton-Garner,

Yuji Nakayama, Stephen Brewster and the entire LOTE

Department wish to express their deep gratitude for

everyone’s help in making this wonderful experience

possible for both of our schools and we look ahead to a

bigger and better ‘next’ 20 years!

Naga High SchoolVisit 2013

Christian College Princiapl Glen McKeeman and Head of the International Association for Naga High School Misusaki San signing a new agreement at the Naga High School and Christian College 20 years Celebratory Dinner.

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10 years on, the class of 2003 returned to visit their

former College friends to reminisce, see the changes

around Christian College, revisit the clock tower to

read messages recorded on their final day of school

and share where life has taken them.

Amidst the laughter and story telling it was

particularly rewarding to learn of the success and

achievements that had occurred. It was also lovely

that those with children introduced them to our

College.

The Reunion night provides the opportunity for

the past graduates to catch up with some of their

teachers. For the teaching staff it is rewarding to

see past students and learn about their life beyond

school.

This year’s Reunion paused to reflect on fellow class

member Casey Tutungi, who had recently been

diagnosed with quadriplegia after a tragic football

accident. Close friend James Hattam shared his

thoughts following his recent visit to see Casey.

Those present wrote messages to Casey in cards

provided by Fiona Faulkner and made contributions

to the fund supporting Casey and his family.

Our Principal welcomed the students back to

Christian College and, in reference to Casey,

commented that everyone connected with the

College, ‘belongs to more than a school, we belong

to a community that cares for each other’.

The night was a wonderful time to look back at the

opportunities and benefits Christian College has

provided for past students and to celebrate being

part of our community.

Reunion Class of 2003

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Stephen Mellier 2003 Graduate

The possibilities for students are endless

after graduation. With commitment, you can

achieve so much and this was truly evident

through listening to the success stories from

the 2003 Graduates recently at the Reunion.

One of the success stories was Stephen

Mellier who believes you should ‘Take every

opportunity that comes your way and always

try your hardest. You will be surprised with

what you can accomplish.’

That is definitely the case for Stephen who,

after graduating from Christian College in

2003, moved away from Geelong to study

engineering at Monash University. Stephen

graduated with a ‘First Class Honours Degree’

in Civil Engineering at the end of 2007 and

joined one of the world’s most premiere

engineering, procurement and construction

companies-KBRasaBridgeEngineerbased

in Melbourne. There, Stephen worked

on the design of some of the most major

infrastructure projects occurring in Victoria

at the time including the Geelong Ring Road,

Regional Rail Link and the M80 Upgrade.

Since mid 2011 Stephen has been working

as a ‘fly in fly out’ site based construction

engineer on mining, oil and gas construction

projects, initially in Western Australia and now

in the Northern Territory based in Darwin.

Stephen said that ‘The academic support

that I received from the teaching staff during

my time at Christian College, helped me to

achieve my goal of studying engineering at

university. The Christian ethos and way of

life, that is central to the school, gives a good

grounding in life and helps prepare you for

the wider world.’

Even with the success of his career thus far,

Stephen is still grounded and urges us all to

‘help others less fortunate than yourself and

also to encourage, provide leadership and

support to colleagues and friends.’

Where are They Now?

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Learning Beyond Williams House2013 has seen the beginning of a new ‘out and

about’ opportunity for our families called ‘WHild’.

The name ‘WHild’ is a play on words, combining

the initials of Williams House and the word ‘wild’

and offers a new way of collaborating with families

to connect with nature in local surroundings.

Influenced by a belief that children ‘will not value

what they do not know’, our outings are a way to

enjoy being outside and make personal discoveries

in the natural environment.

WHild’s key objective relates to providing

opportunitiesexternaltoourKindergartenbased

program. Our philosophy of valuing outdoor play

and learning, engaging students with nature and

sustainable practices provides a strong link to the

original program as we connect with other locations.

Attendees of WHild are spread across all seven

kindergarten groups, and the makeup of children

changes between one outing and another. While

this has implications for how we might specifically

link the outings within our regular programs,

we find ways of reflecting the pleasure of these

opportunities via photos, displays and inclusions in

newsletters to our families.

In Term 1 over 60 parents, staff and children of

Williams House descended on Bancoora Beach

to explore the rock pools, play in the shallows,

scramble over rocks and dig in the sand. The sharing

of knowledge, excitement of surprising marine

discoveries, rich conversations across all age groups

and the sheer enjoyment of the space offered by the

great outdoors, whet our appetite for the next time

we could do it all again.

Serendip Sanctuary was the site of our second

WHild event and again, all groups from Williams

House were well represented. Rugged up and

ready for whatever the weather presented us with,

staff and family groups walked around the large

enclosures and observed all kinds of wildlife in their

natural habitats. We were reminded that even more

importantly than the ‘learning’ potential of these

outings, was the ‘being’; to be mindful of what we

were seeing, feeling and how we were relating to the

surroundings and to each other.

Bernadette Johnson

WilliamsHouseKindergartenCoordinator

The younger the child, the more the child learns

through sensory and physical activity.

The more varied and rich the natural setting, the

greater its contribution to the physical, cognitive and

emotional development of the child.

-Rivkin 1997

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Healthy Lifestyle Encouraged by Sports Stars

Physical Education is an important part of the

Christian College curriculum at all year levels and

campuses. Through this subject, students are

encouraged to live a healthy and active lifestyle that

is vital for every Australian. Government initiatives

encourage everyone to implement sound health

practices into our own lives and to set an example

for children to follow in our footsteps.

Elite athletes are seen as ‘heroes’ in the eyes of young

students and are an example of what an active and

healthy lifestyle can achieve. Through this concept,

Junior and Middle School were privileged to have

some AFL stars visit their campus this term.

Geelong Cats Football Club players Jimmy Bartel and

Jackson Thurlow helped conduct a Footy clinic at

the Junior School with Year 4 students, who rotated

around four stations developing their ball skills.

The AFL players were very encouraging with their

coaching and informative when answering questions

about their career, healthy habits and playing AFL

football.

At Middle School, Year 8 and 9 students were given

the opportunityto ask Jimmy and Jackson about

their training schedules, eating routine and game

preparations. The players were very open about their

regimes and gave the students a great insight into

AFL life and being a professional athlete.

The Junior Campus was also treated this term

with a visit from Ben James from the Melbourne

Storm Ruby League Club. Ben gave the Year 3 and

4 students a valuable experience learning the skills

associated with the game of Rugby League. The

students were very enthusiastic and attentive whilst

they learnt the skills and put their newfound abilities

into action during the modified game of rugby.

It is through these experiences that our students

interact with their sporting heroes, and learn the

skills of the particular game from current top players.

The players are very encouraging of the students

continuing to lead healthy and active lives through

their involvement in sporting pursuits. This message,

and the interaction that they have with their current

sports stars, is a unique opportunity for our students.

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LOTE Students are Winners

It has been a busy term for Japanese and Indonesian

language students with opportunities to showcase

their language skills in campus, interschool and

state competitions. The benefits the students receive

when competing within these language challenges

are immense. These contests provide excellent

opportunities for participants to gain a first hand

experience communicating with a different language

outside of the classroom and assists them greatly in

their language skills. Development of confidence as

well as gaining a greater love for learning a language

is also prevalent within the students who compete.

Japanese Speech Contest

32 students from The Bellarine Campus and Junior

School from Years 1 to 4 impressed the judges and

parents reciting set scripts, displaying excellent

Japanese pronunciation, memory and presentation.

Bellarine Campus Results

Year1:HayleyKoopman(1st),BrooklynJones(2nd)

and Naomi Lamprecht (3rd)

Year 2: Lucy Mitchell (1st), Cooper Welsh (2nd) and

KirrilyMcConachy(3rd)

Year 3: Lauren Mclnerney (1st), Isabella Munafo (2nd)

and Brianna Hopper (3rd)

Year 4: Jordan Smith (1st), George Maroulis (2nd) and

ElizabethKefalouk(3rd)

Junior School, Belmont Results

Year 1: Martin Dean (1st), Emily Lawrie (2nd) and Sam

Coleman (3rd)

Year2:ImogenOliver(1st)JamesMcKeegan(2nd)

and Daniel Hegyesi (3rd)

Year3:ScarlettKerr(1st),RahniGrant(2nd)and

Oscar Clark (3rd)

Year 4: Michelle Zhao (1st) Madeleine Benson (2nd)

and Tyler Costin (3rd)

It was an impressive effort by all students and we

thank the judges and the parents and friends who

came along to support the students.

Hannah Mansfield wearing traditional Indonesian costumes during her recent trip to Canberra.

Mrs Karen Friday congratulating Briely Wight at the JLTAV State-wide Japanese Speech Contest

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JLTAV State-wide Japanese Speech Contest

Our Japanese students are to be congratulated for

their outstanding performance in the Japanese

Language Teachers Association of Victoria State-wide

Japanese Speech Contest in Melbourne on Sunday

25th August.

Congratulations in particular to Briely Wight (Year

6 Highton) and Oliver Humphris (year 7 Bellarine)

who achieved 2nd place in their individual year level

categories. Congratulations also to Charlotte Nevistc

and Alyssa Jones (Year 6 Bellarine) who won an

impressive 3rd prize in the Year 5 and 6 Pair Category.

Also, a special mention to other College

representatives Genki Webster (Year 1 Junior School,

Belmont) in the Open Category and Chloe Chang

and Chloe Fantella (Year 7 Highton) in the Year 7 and

8 Pair Category.

It was a wonderful achievement for our state

competitors and a credit to their hard work and

preparation with their teachers.

Indonesian Language Olympiad

Two teams of 9 Middle School students recently

won the 5th Annual Indonesian Language Olympiad

held at Aitken College, Greenvale, Melbourne. The

Olympiad brings together students from a number

of Melbourne and country Independent schools

to compete in a fun day of language including

cultural quizzes and role plays, in celebration of

Indonesia’s Independence Day. After a traditional

Indonesian lunch, Christian College Geelong was

declared the winner by .25 of a mark and brought

the perpetual trophy back to Geelong for another

year. Congratulations to Year 9 Olympiad students

Lydia Mackie, Anneke Richards, Serena Gepp-Roach,

Joshua Farrell, Claudia Vasey, Brittany Siketa, Zach

Edwards, Ruby Serong and Luc Rippe.

Independence Day State Scholarship

Hannah Mansfield of Year 11 was one of six students

of Indonesian from across Victoria selected to travel

to Canberra to attend the official 68th Indonesian

Independence Day celebrations at the Indonesian

Embassy on the 17th of August.

Hannah had the opportunity to visit significant

places in the Capital including Parliament House

and the National War Memorial as well as the warm

hospitality of an Embassy host family.

Hannah initially wrote an informative speech

about why the relationship between Australia and

Indonesia is becoming increasingly more important.

Hannah was then chosen to represent Christian

College in an interview conducted completely

in Indonesian at the Indonesian Consulate in

Melbourne.

Winners are grinners at the JLTAV State-wide Japanese Speech Contest

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