Students’ artistic skills have been showcased, with winning entries announced for the Carols by Candlelight poster competition and the Geraldton Christian College 2021 Year Book cover competition.
Year 10 student Jezarni B’s Christmas star design won the Carols poster competition, while another Year 10 student, Novalee C, was runner-up.
Jezarni’s work will now be used for promotional material and program books for the 2021 event.
Her work will be seen by hundreds, if not thousands of people, before and during the Carols, which will be held at Maitland Park on Sunday 12 December, from 7.00pm to 8.45pm (youth activities from 5.30pm).
Jezarni and Novalee received cash prizes of $200 and $20 respectively.
Meanwhile, Year 4 student Henry F won the College 2021 Year Book cover competition with a design that drew inspiration from creation and the resurrection.
Henry received $100 worth of art materials and will have his design printed on the Year Book cover.
Judges were also impressed with the work of Year 4 student Coco H and Year 2 student Kayla B, who received highly commended certificates and a set of art pencils each.
PERFECT TIMING
New bike meets a family need
Year 4 student Laura H was delighted when she was announced winner of a new bicycle, donated by the Member for Geraldton Lara Dalton to support the College’s 2021 Bikeathon fundraiser.
Laura’s mum Clarissa said the bicycle could not have come at a better time.
“We were absolutely thrilled when Laura won the bike,” she said.
“She had grown out of her previous bike and it was in bad shape.
“We were only saying recently that maybe we needed to get her a new bike, so we feel blessed.
“We thank Lara Dalton for her generosity.”
Laura, along with Isabelle B (Pre-Primary), Will S (Year 1), and Ollie J (Year 3), were the students who were the highest fundraisers for the Bikeathon this year, each obtaining sponsors and raising over $100 each – an outstanding effort!
All of the students who fundraised, and brought their money into the College by the due date, were entered in the draw for the new bike.
In total, Bikeathon raised $3080 this year, which is being spent on the new Primary nature playground.
Work on the playground has already started, with Mr Harri Harrington completing phase one during the last school holidays.
Further work will be done in the upcoming holidays.
DESIGN DUO
Pauline and Elise show their skills
Further to our previous Blog item about the final projects of the 2021 Year 11 Design & Technology class, we have two more projects to feature.
This time around, we have some impressive work from Pauline T and Elise M.
Pauline produced a coffee table made from recycled jarrah, from the old kindergarten building, while Elise created a traditional (repurposed) softwood hallway table.
Very impressive craftmanship on both counts.
Design & Technology Teacher Rovaun Alexander congratulated the girls and their classmates on their final projects.
Mr Alexander said the Materials Design Unit 2 and Technology General course was a practical course.
“It allows students to explore and use materials, particularly wood, with the design and manufacture of products as the major focus,” he said.
“Students examine social and cultural values including the environmental impact of the use of materials and associated technologies.
“Their design processes started at the beginning of Semester 2 with their folios and concluded at the end of week 5 this term. Special thanks to Mr Sean Richards for the online CAD tutorials.”
ROCKET POWER!
Dragster project update
By Rovaun Alexander
Materials Design & Technology Teacher
Three Year 3 students – Jordan V, Tiffany M and Alexis R – embarked on an exciting Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) project this Term, to design and build their very own miniature rocket-powered dragsters.
Equipped with design portfolios, Lexi, Tiffany and Jordy researched industrial design concepts to inform and inspire creativity for their chosen aerodynamic design.
Following strict workshop safety protocols, they are now in the production stage of the design cycle, with the hope of completing their builds and racing their CO2 rocket-powered cars against Year 7 challengers in 2022.
Jordan, Tiffany and Alexis shape their creations in the workshop.
WORKSHOP TIME
Mantelpiece clock creations
By Rovaun Alexander
Materials Design & Technology Teacher
As part of a Year 5/6 wellbeing initiative this semester, Pandji, Mitchell, Jordan and Kingsley enjoyed time in the D&T workshop weekly to work on a mantelpiece clock project.
They used tools and equipment and followed workshop safety rules to build a quartz-powered clock.
The design brief specified the need for accurate measurement, the use of ICT and a collaborate approach to learning.
Well done, boys. The clock will make a wonderful gift for someone this festive season.
WELL DONE
Thank you, Primary Student Council
The Primary Student Representative Council enjoyed a meal at Dome as a thank you from the College for their service this year.
The SRC is made up of a head boy, head girl, deputy head boy, deputy head girl and two student councillors from Years 5 and 6.
Year 5/6 Teacher Marianne Brits said the SRC performed a number of duties throughout the year, including helping to run assemblies, helping to monitor and clean-up at lunch-times and assisting with events such as movie nights, Bikeathon and the upcoming Crazy Activities Day.
YOU’RE INVITED
Help grow innovative College program
Parents and friends of Geraldton Christian College with an interest in sustainable agriculture/land management and education are invited to make an expression of interest to join a Sustainable Agricultural Management Committee.
The aim of the Committee, which would meet once a term in 2022, would be to share ideas and encourage greater College community involvement in the school’s land management operations.
The College’s Wholistic Land Management Program, which has been operating for about three years, includes a one-acre horticulture yard and edible plantings throughout the College grounds.
Produce includes poultry, bush tucker, wheat, cotton, olives, sugar cane, citrus, figs, pomegranates, mulberries, guavas and Brazilian cherries.
The program is also incorporated into cross-curricular education.
Some projects students have been involved in include making marmalade (for overseas mission), sugar, soap (from olive oil), lemonade and pancakes.
An edible garden near the secondary Food and Technology room includes herbs and vegetables (thyme, basil, chives, oregano, tomatoes, eggplant, celery and silver beet) which are used in students’ cooking.
Sustainability practices grounded in the Biblical principle of stewardship inform the program’s operations.
Wholistic Land Management Coordinator Kelly Harrington says it is all about using animals and plants to look after the land.
“We use poultry manure in compost to feed the plants and we use a ‘chicken tractor’ – a mobile cage – where chickens eat weeds, slugs and bugs in a spent vegetable garden, to stimulate root growth and microbiology,” she said.
“We’re interested in managing animals wisely so that we don’t get soil degradation or desertification.”
Mrs Harrington, who operates a hobby farm with husband Harri at Northampton, has long had an interest in sustainability, which led to certifications in horticulture and permaculture.
But she is interested in gleaning ideas from others.
“We don’t know everything and we’re keen to hear from others in the College community on how to make the most of the program,” she said.
“It could be someone who has a farm background, or who has an interest in ecology or sustainable agriculture.
“We’re also looking for members of the College community who would just like to be part of an exciting education program.”
If you would like to be part of the program, email Mrs Harrington at kelly.harrington@gcc.wa.edu.au.
CHALK TALK
Do the next right thing
Full name: Andre Steenekamp
What is your teaching position at Geraldton Christian College? Head of Physical Education
Where and when did you obtain your teaching qualification? BA Hons Sports Science University of the Free State (1996). Post grad teaching diploma at the University of South Africa (1998).
When did you start working at Geraldton Christian College? 2018
For those who don’t know you, tell us a bit about yourself. How would you describe yourself, etc? Come on, you know I don’t like to talk about myself! Some say I’m pretty cruisy, with a creative mind and the focus to get the job done…
What is your background and what did you do before you came to Geraldton Christian College? I was the rebel in my family of teachers who didn’t want to be a teacher, but God had other plans. Always been involved in either sports administration, or education and still love it every day.
Where were you born and where have you lived before coming to Geraldton? I was born and raised in a South Africa. Like many of our students I went to the same College, from Kindy to Year 12, and completed my tertiary education at the neighbouring university. After completing my studies I packed my backpack and tried my best to explore as much of this beautiful world we live in for the next two years. From travelling, many opportunities presented themselves, through the grace of God. The most precious “find” was meeting my beautiful wife in London. God planted us in an amazing church right in the middle of London and we ended up living in this vibrant city for the next nine years before embarking on our next adventure to Australia, where we were parachuted into Kalbarri with our two little “Poms” (Kristian & Nicola). Needless to say, it was a crash course in Aussie culture and the start of an amazing journey, leading all the way to Geraldton Christian College.
In a nutshell, what has been your journey of faith? Have you always been a Christian? If not, how did this come about? I’m extremely grateful to God for being raised in a Christian home by Christian parents. As Satan would like to see us all backslide away from God, this was no different to me and it took a few hard-learned lessons and the amazing grace of God to plug and re-focus me back into his church. Together with my wife, this was a life-changing spiritual journey. Looking back, I realise how good God is to all of us with His incredible love for humanity.
What would be the key life-shaping lesson you have learned about God/Christian discipleship, etc, that you would like to impart to young people. “If I could teach students one thing, it would be …”: Be counter-cultural, like Jesus, especially in this day and age where it is so easy to be misled, only to find yourself ending up getting hurt and feeling sad. We see this often in the high profile world of sport, where talent is nullified by a lack of God-given morals and values. When you take “God’s way” out of the “game” you will get bowled out! It’s actually cool and liberating to stand up for what is right.
Greatest joy of your life? The joy that God gives to me freely, daily and abundantly … and knowing that absolutely nothing can take that away from me, because of what Jesus did on the cross for me (and you).
Toughest time of your life and how God helped you through it? Like every young person who likes to play sport (and in my case rugby and cricket) it was my dream to go all the way to the top. At my peak of playing rugby I broke my neck in an important game and was a quadriplegic (no feeling/movement in arms or legs) on the field. Against all odds, and with an incredible prayer chain, I recovered a year after surgery. The dream was over and that was tough … and it took me a long time to come to terms with. However, praise God, I realised soon after that if you have any idols above Jesus (i.e., like sport) that those idols will let you down.
Recreation/hobbies/interests? “When I am not teaching, the things I love most to do are…”: Love adventure, especially if we do it together as a family (i.e., travelling). Obviously I love sport in general and personally get a buzz out of surfing, kitesurfing, diving and mountain biking.
A little known thing about you. “People may be surprised to discover that I…”: Like (College Design & Technology Teacher) Rovaun Alexander, I was one of the few people to have met Nelson Mandela and, funnily enough, discuss the newly-selected Springbok rugby team on a College lawn in Oxford of all places.
Anything else you would like to add? Let’s do the next right thing.
Power of prayer
The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with. James 5:16 (MSG)
The world witnessed the power of prayer this week when a four-year-old girl who was missing for 19 days in WA’s Gascoyne was found safe and well by authorities.
The girl’s disappearance prompted a wave of prayer across the nation and beyond.
At Geraldton Christian College, we believe in the power of prayer.
Parents are invited to join a small group every Monday to uphold the College in prayer. The group meets from 8.45am to 9.15am. Register at administration office, then proceed to the Primary lunch tables or staff room (depending on weather), and look for Kelly Harrington, Prayer Coordinator and Wholistic Land Management Coordinator.
INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC
Enrol now for 2022 program
By Kate Wheat
Instrumental Music Program Coordinator
A reminder that students who are currently enrolled in the program will be automatically rolled over into next year’s program. If you would like to withdraw, please email me at instrumentalmusic@gcc.wa.edu.au before the end of term to avoid fees begin charged to your account.
New students interested in joining the IMP in 2022 are asked to please email me at instrumentalmusic@gcc.wa.edu.au before the end of term to enquire or organise an enrolment form.
JOB VACANCIES
Education Assistant
(Full-time & Part-Time Positions Available)
(12 Month Contract – with a possibility of being ongoing)
Due to continual growth in enrolments at Geraldton Christian College, we are seeking applications from experienced Education Assistants.
With a pursuit of excellence in education, our students are provided with opportunities through academic, sporting, and cultural learning, which supports an enriching whole of life education.
The Education Assistant’s role is to assist in teaching a diverse population of children in an atmosphere of kindness that encourages active enquiry, fosters individual growth, and promotes respect for self, others and the world in which they live.
The successful candidate will have:
- Relevant qualifications as an Education Assistant;
- A current Working with Children Check;
- Previous experience working with students in small groups and individually;
- The ability to foster independent learning habits with students;
- The ability to work in a flexible working environment with teachers and students
Please include the following in your application:
- A covering letter addressing your suitability for the role based on the skills, knowledge and experience requirements outlined in the advertisement
- Your current CV
- Copies of relevant qualifications and any registrations
- Completion of all fields of the Staff Application Form – Non-Teaching
Applications close at 3.00pm on Friday 15 January 2022
If you would like to be part of our vibrant gospel community, please visit https://gcc.wa.edu.au/about/available-positions/ to apply. Phone 9938 9100 or email personnel@gcc.wa.edu.au
Receptionist / Administration (FTE 1.0)
(12 Month Contract – with the possibility of being ongoing)
Due to continual growth in enrolments at Geraldton Christian College, we are seeking applications from experienced Receptionists with strong administration skills.
With a pursuit of excellence in education, our students are provided with opportunities through academic, sporting, and cultural learning, which supports an enriching whole of life education.
Key responsibilities:
- Reception duties, including telephone/email/calendar/data entry/front of house duties
- Delivering excellent customer service to our families and building strong family partnerships to support them at the College
- Proficient with money handling and Accounts management
- File management
- Assisting with new enrolments
- Provide support to the Executive Management Team as required
In order to be successful in this position, you will have:
- A valid Western Australia Working With Children Check (or ability to obtain one)
- Excellent communication skills including written and verbal English skills and high attention to detail
- The ability to prioritise meeting deadlines with tasks/workload
- Proficiency in MS Office packages, particularly Word, Excel and Teams
- Experience in the use of database management systems (the College uses Sentral)
- The ability to work autonomously with limited supervision where required, as well as being part of a team
- An approachable and friendly demeanor with the ability to form strong partnerships and connections with staff and College
Please include the following in your application:
- A covering letter addressing your suitability for the role based on the skills, knowledge and experience requirements outlined in the advertisement
- Your current CV
- Completion of all fields of the Staff Application Form – Non-Teaching
Applications close at 3.00pm on Friday 15 January 2022
If you would like to be part of our vibrant gospel community, please visit https://gcc.wa.edu.au/about/available-positions/ to apply. Phone 9938 9100 or email personnel@gcc.wa.edu.au
Drum / Percussion Instrumental Tutor (Contract)
We are seeking an experienced and innovative Drum/Percussion Tutor to join our Instrumental team at Geraldton Christian College.
This position is a contract position (1-1.5 days per week) commencing in Term 1 of 2022.
You will possess the following:
- Demonstrated instrumental music training and/or industry experience; (preferable)
- An energetic, passionate, experienced music educator and an inspiration to our students;
- Display an excellent understanding of student needs;
- Interact effectively with personnel at all levels;
- Hold or be able to apply for a Working With Children Check card.
Applications close at 3.00pm on Friday 15 January 2022.
If you would like to be part of our vibrant gospel community, please visit https://gcc.wa.edu.au/about/available-positions/ to apply. Phone 9938 9100 or email personnel@gcc.wa.edu.au
RELIEF WORK
Relief Teachers & Education Assistants
The College is always keen to hear from qualified Teachers and Education Assistants who are interested in relief work at the College (particularly Primary Teachers at the moment).
Early Learning Years (K-PP), Primary (Years 1-6) and/or Secondary (Yrs 7-12). The ability to be able to teach or a assist in a variety of different year levels would be highly regarded.
Please contact us any time to advise your availability.
Apply online.
Relief Canteen Assistant
This position assists with the day-to-day running of the Canteen when regular staff are unavailable. The operation of the Canteen is 2-3 days per week during school terms. The usual hours of work are 8.15am – 2.00pm.
We are looking for a “people person” who will enjoy working with students and staff in a team environment.
Applications close at 3.00pm on Friday 15 January 2022.
If you would like to be part of our vibrant gospel community, please visit https://gcc.wa.edu.au/about/available-positions/ to apply.
Phone 9938 9100 or email personnel@gcc.wa.edu.au
Relief Cleaners
The College is in need of staff who can fill in, as required, when regular staff are not available. Training is provided before being placed on the relief contact list.
Relief Cleaners need to be available between the hours of 3.00pm and 6.00pm on school days (Monday to Friday), and due to Covid-19 there may also be hours available during school hours.
Please apply online.
For any queries about employment at the College, please call +61 8 9938 9100 or email personnel@gcc.wa.edu.au.
Wanted to rent: caravan
Geraldton Christian College Library Manager Denise du Boulay would like to rent a caravan over the Christmas break to use as an extra bedroom.
Mrs du Boulay says she is happy to pay to rent the caravan and that it will be well looked after.
Needed from 23 December to 2 January.
Please contact Mrs du Boulay at the library or by emailing denise.duboulay@gcc.wa.edu.au.
COMING UP
3 Dec: Yr 1 and 2 Movie Night. 5.45pm to 7.30pm
6 December: Primary Presentation (Yr 3 to 6). 6.00pm to 8.00pm (RSVPs essential, limit of 2 guests per student)
7 December: Secondary Presentation (Yr 7 to 11). 6.00pm to 8.00pm (RSVPs essential, limit of 2 guests per student)
7 December: Crazy Olympics (PP to Yr 6)
8 December: LAST DAY OF TERM 4 (PP to Yr 10)
31 January 2022: FIRST DAY OF TERM 1
25 to 27 February 2022: Yr 11/12 Art & Culture Camp, Perth
For more details, visit the Parent Calendar.
NOTICEBOARD
SCRIPTURE UNION HOLIDAY CAMPS
Scripture Union have some great camps available during the holidays. More information on their website: https://www.suwa.org.au/camping/holiday/