By Brenda Pattenden
Kindergarten Teacher
One of the Biblical threads our Kindy children have been thinking about this term is “embracing diversity”.
Through this, they are encouraged to respect and celebrate the built-in differences between cultures and peoples, given for the enhancement of all.
We have had a wonderful time learning about our world and the diverse cultures we have.
Kindy parents of different nationalities have come in to proudly share food and information about their own particular country of origin.
It has been such a wonderful opportunity for the children to create an awareness and respect for our multi-cultural class and school community as a whole.
We also had a wonderful time recently hosting new families at our Come and Play morning (see photos below).
Keep an eye out on the Calendar (on the Parent Page) for upcoming Kindy events.
Year 9 students create tote-caddies
By Rovaun Alexander
Design and Technology Teacher
I’d like to share some news about the Year 9 Carry Box project.
It’s not quite a tool box, but a tote-caddy can be handy for moving about and storing trinkets and random items that dads (or mums) might have.
It’s a good place to store and carry around shoe/boot polish and brushes for example. Students interpreted the plan drawing to manufacture their carry box.
Accolades for James, Terri and Skye, who used their lunchtimes to varnish their boxes to have it ready as a gift for the Father’s Day weekend. Well done!
Athletes give their all, for God’s glory
By Derek Goforth
Secondary Teacher
Geraldton Christian College’s championship victory at the Associated and Catholic Colleges I-Division Athletics in Perth last week was so much more significant than winning a shield or a competition.
It has far more consequence than that, even though it is wonderful and amazing, in and of itself.
As we live streamed the races in Geraldton, I sat with my Year 9s, a few Year 11s and my Year 12s (honest we were doing a bit of maths too).
What we saw was phenomenal.
Courage, guile, determination and above all teamwork.
Stacia, Ben, Denzel, Rania, Max, Nickey … so many the list goes on.
All doing their part, all stepping out of comfort zones for the sake of their College, for the glory of God.
We got the scores just before the relays and started to calculate what we needed to do before the final races to secure second place (we thought first was out of reach).
Then we saw our relay teams leave nothing on the track.
We could see the determination in their faces, we could hear the rest of our College chanting for them.
I am sure I heard Kathy screaming.
Then came the presentations. We were so hoping for that second place, we were convinced our maths was correct – that we had secured second and Austin had pipped us for first.
Then it was announced. We had won! There was not one adult or student in my class still in their seat. We jumped up, screamed and cheered.
To Andre, Johan, Janelle, Jan, Kathy – everyone who gave up their time to take our wonderful kids to this event, thank you from my heart.
Thank you for reminding me why I came here.
Uniform Shop update
By Fiona Davidson
Executive Assistant to the Principal
Uniform Shop Hours
The Uniform Shop, located near Student Services in the Front Office, is open in the afternoons between 3.00pm and 3.30pm. As mornings are very busy for Front Office staff, we regret that we are unable to serve parents/guardians with uniform requests then. You are able to complete a Uniform Order Form and leave it with staff to process later in the day, then collect after school.
Online orders are welcome any time https://www.quickcliq.com.au. If you are unsure of your child/ren’s size/s – send an email to uniform@gcc.wa.edu.au requesting fitting of your child/ren and we can send them home with details for you to be able to complete an online order. You can also use the Uniform Order Form, and drop it into the Front Office any time, and we will process orders for you within 2 days.
For families who find it difficult to attend the Uniform Shop in the afternoons, please email uniform@gcc.wa.edu.au to request a mutually suitable appointment time.
Uniform Sizing & Stock
Over the holidays we resized all of the new GCC polo shirts so that they now reflect true clothing sizes for your children:
Shirts have a sticker on the packaging saying “Size 10 (incorrectly tagged 14)” for example.
If you are ordering polo shirts moving forward, please order your child’s USUAL clothing size (ignore the sizes of new GCC polos you have ordered previously).
A slightly revised Price List has been uploaded to the website, which reflects the change in some sizing.
We have just done another big order of uniform, which includes lots of larger size primary and secondary polo shirts. New stock should arrive towards the end of November.
We are going to limit purchase of polo shirts to 3 per student, to ensure we have enough stock for new families enrolling students at the College next year.
We have plenty of stock of tracksuit pants, jackets, socks and shorts.
Thank you to those who took the time to complete the uniform ordering survey at the end of last term. That was very helpful in terms of ordering more stock for next year.
More information about uniform is available here: https://gcc.wa.edu.au/parents/uniform/
Carols by Candelight poster competition
Geraldton Carols by Candlelight Committee is seeking submissions from secondary students to design a poster for this year’s Carols by Candlelight.
There is a $200 prize for the winning design.
TO ENTER
Hand in your poster to Student Services by Wednesday 22 September. Entry forms are there for students to complete to go with their design.
POSTER DESIGN SPECIFICATIONS
Posters must include the words:
- Title: Carols by Candlelight 2021
- The theme words: ‘Gift of Grace’
- Date, time and location: Sunday 12 December 2021, 7.00pm-8.45pm,
Maitland Park, Geraldton - Extra info: Smoke & alcohol-free event
Each artist or designer is free to choose the design features (fonts,
colours, decorations, etc) but the design must be Christmas themed.
Posters must be suitable for A4 to A3 size paper, portrait layout, presented
in an electronic format which can be edited if required.
The winning design may be used in the promotional material and the
program books for Carols by Candlelight 2021.
Each submission needs an attached entry form, completed and signed by
a class teacher for verification.
Note: Designs become the property of Geraldton Christian Churches Carols by Candlelight Inc
The committee will add the council logo and sponsorship logos as needed.
Reminders about recycling
By Caraline Harrold
Cleaning Coordinator
Thank you, staff and students, for your ongoing efforts to care for God’s creation by recycling.
Please note the following important reminder – our yellow bins only take drink containers marked PET 1 and/or HDPE 2 (eg, soft drink bottles, water bottles, milk bottles and juice bottles).
Please check the recycling code on the drink container before placing in the bin. See graphic below.
You might also be interested to know the College recycles old razor blades, plastic pens, toothbrushes, toothpaste tubes, plastic hair product bottles and bread ties.
If you have these items at home and would like to recycle them at the College, please leave them with College reception staff in a bag or box labelled “recycling”.
If you have any questions, please email me at caraline.harrold@gcc.wa.edu.au
Containers for Change
The College is registered for the Containers for Change scheme. Our ID Number is:
C10321585
When you recycle containers, you can choose for the refund to be donated to the College. Funds will go towards the Primary Nature Playground upgrade.
Training Christian youth to defend truth
A submission from Worldview Australia
Young people are confronted with a culture that is increasingly hostile to all things Christian. The days when Christianity was considered ‘a public good’ are behind us.
Our universities and state high schools peddle a world view that is militantly hostile to Christianity.
Our young people need to not only understand the truths of God’s Word, but also how to defend these truths and how to challenge the distortions that our culture portrays.
To address this issue, the Australian Christian Lobby partnered with Worldview Australia last January to provide a week-long camp in WA to equip senior high schoolers with the knowledge, tools and networks to help them stand firm on the truths of God’s Word, and how to argue the case for a Christian world and life view.
We are running it again in January 2022 to help Christian youths develop a Biblical worldview before they finish their schooling.
The camp last January was highly successful and one third of the camp places for next year have already been booked.
For six days, six speakers bring 25 hours of lively lectures and discussions interspersed with some related activities, food, fun and free time.
Participants will be treated like adults and will explore servant leadership, apologetics/evangelism, and comparative worldviews in an environment that encourages questions, thoughtfulness and good humour.
They will be mentored in small groups and develop practical skills.
FAST FACTS
2022 Worldview Australia Leadership Camp
Age group: Year 9-12
Duration: 16 January 2022 (Sunday) to 21 January 2022 (Friday)
Location: Camp Wattle Grove, 59 Kelvin Rd, Wattle Grove WA 6107
For more information and for registrations go to: https://www.worldviewaustralia.org/ or contact Sally Westlake (email: wvacontact@gmail.com | phone 0410 432 370 or 9206 3110).
“Training young Christians to think and live with a Biblical Worldview.”
“If you listen to me, you will know what is right, just, and fair. You will know what you should do.” Proverbs 2:9
Coming up
12 to 15 September: Year 11/12 General ODE Margaret River Expedition
13 to 17 September: Year 6/7 Mid West Camp
15 and 17 September: Primary Interschool Athletics
16 September: OLNA Reading Test
18 September: Bikeathon and Mountain Bike Festival (details emailed to parents)
20 to 24 September: Book Week
21 September: OLNA Numeracy Test
22 September: Primary Book Week Assembly and Celebration Picnic
23 September: Year 3/4 movie night
24 September: LAST DAY OF TERM 3. Primary dress-up day
For more information about College events, visit the Calendar (on the Parent Page).