Students turn up volume (and colour) at Battle Cry

Andre Steenekamp
Director of Sport & Outdoor Education

With the introduction of the two new College Houses, Alpha and Omega, there has been an intentional focus on building team cohesiveness and unity within the College.

The ’Battle Cry’ event, held the day before the recent Secondary Athletics Carnival, involved students dressing up in their house colours (Alpha – purple; Omega – teal) and having a chanting competition to display weeks of preparation, under the guidance of house leaders Mrs Edwards (Alpha) and Mrs Labuschagne (Omega).

Students, with excellent leadership by the house captains, got behind their houses and displayed the value of unity and working together.

Brilliant speeches and prayers by the house captains – and the Shofar played by Mrs Harrington – completed an exciting, fun-filled and cohesive College event.

In a very close competition, judged by Mrs Davidson, Alpha won with two chants to Omega’s one.

Congratulations, Alpha.

Winners of the best dressed students and house will be announced, along with medal recipients and shield winners, at the Medal Ceremony assembly on Monday.

Great effort, everyone!

Walk on the wild side for 100-day celebration

Brenda Pattenden
Pre-Primary Teacher

From the very first day these little Pre-Primary students enter the classroom in Term 1, they begin the long countdown for their 100 days of school celebration!

Learning to read and write the numbers 1-100 is part of the process, but more importantly these children have a goal to look forward to, which always includes a happy celebration at the end of it.

The weather looked disappointing for the big day, however we prayed every day for it to clear up for our planned visit to the Greenough Wildlife Park. And clear up it did! God blessed us with beautiful, bright sunshine for the two and a half hours we were there! Incredibly, just as we were about to leave, the Heavens opened! Yet when we needed it to be dry, our prayers were answered! Praise God!

The Pre-Primary class had a fabulous time holding snakes and feeding all sorts of different animals. What a way to celebrate their dedication and hard work at school. After all, they are now 100 days smarter!

College makes a splash in winter netball competition

Rene Brand
Netball coordinator

This year we were able to have three teams in the Geraldton Netball Association (GNA) winter Sub-junior competition: an Under 8s, Under 10s and a Sub-junior team with Year 5-6 students.

The Under 8s are coached by Suzanah B (parent) and Izabelle W (Year 9 student). The under 10s are coached by Letitia and Nickey-Mari M (Year 10 student), while the sub-juniors are coached by Dynika A and Sarah J-W (parents).

Nickey and Izabelle both play in the GNA clubs’ competition. They are both highly regarded players in their teams. It has been such a blessing to see how these Secondary students have volunteered their time to teach the younger players important netball skills.

The Sub-junior team recently participated in the Regional Championships, playing multiple games over a Saturday and Sunday. They grew as a team in the competition and developed new skills.

It has been so enjoyable to watch these teams grow in their netball skills and as individual netball players.

An ode to parent creativity at Book Week

The College will celebrate Book Week in the last week of Term 3. So we thought it was timely to share this wonderful Book Week-inspired poem from Sarah Jupp, Secondary English Teacher and poet extraordinaire.

‘Twas the night before Book Week and through the abode
Echoed the machine as it frantically sewed,
With scales and stuffing all lying around
In puddles of goop that the glue gun had downed
The mother’s hands stained with the ink from the dye
(That’s why the instructions say gloves to apply)
Books open to pics
To inspire and make
The obscure selection
For this year’s date
The morning will bring the piece de resistance-
Who says that humans need sleep for existence?

Buddy system grows friendships across age groups

Kate Wheat
Secondary Biblical Life & Worldview Teacher

The Year 7.2 Biblical Life & Worldview class and our Year 1 buddies had the joy of planting native trees as part of the College’s recent NAIDOC Week activities.

On the third attempt (we had to keep postponing because of the rain), we finally got out in the sunshine.

Although we had to go separately in the end, we prepared the ground and the Year 1s planted the majority of the trees.

It was a great team effort and it will be wonderful to see them grow!

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord,
whose trust is the Lord.
He is like a tree planted by water,
that sends out its roots by the stream,
and does not fear when heat comes,
for its leaves remain green,
and is not anxious in the year of drought,
for it does not cease to bear fruit.”
Jeremiah 17:7-8

Resilience is a life skill we can all do with. Picture: Pixabay

Lessons in resilience – for the young and young-at-heart

Resilience is a life skill which, as parents, we long to see our children develop.

Life is full of setbacks and the key to overcoming is developing resilience.

It’s a skill that we can all use more of.

This devotion here, reproduced with permission of Vision Christian Media, tells us how.

WAYS TO DEVELOP RESILIENCE

‘Though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again.’
Proverbs 24:16

Like any skill, mental, emotional, and spiritual resilience can be learned. Here’s how:

(1) Redefine setbacks as the gateway to something greater.

(2) Remember successful people don’t just face adversity, they embrace it.

(3) Tune out the critics and focus on doing your best.

(4) Wake up every day remembering that prayer and gratitude create a fertile environment for faith.

(5) Increase your faith-talk when you’re afraid.

(6) Learn from failure, and remember the many times you’ve succeeded.

(7) Visualise victory before going into battle.

(8) Refuse to dwell on the past or worry about the future; today is where you have the most influence.

(9) Identify a solution instead of complaining.

(10) Replace self-doubt with faith-talk.

(11) When things look hopeless, remember ‘with God all things are possible.’ (Mark 10:27 KJV)

(12) When you feel alone, think of all those who have helped you and who love and support you.

(13) Pray for guidance when you’re in over your head (see James 1:5).

(14) Rest when you’re tired, but don’t give up. Finish strong in everything you do.

(15) Remember you ‘can do all things through Christ’ when you think you can’t. (Philippians 4:13 KJV)

(16) Recognise what you can’t control, focus on what you can, and surrender the rest to God.

(17) Exercise physically if you can, to give yourself a sense of control and help lift your mood. (

18) Laugh to reduce stress, strengthen your immune system, and improve arterial blood flow. (

19) Be grateful. Research shows that people who sent a letter or email of thanks to somebody who helped them, stayed in a better mood for up to a month.

2023 term dates

Term 1

Monday 30 January to Thursday 6 April (Easter Friday 7/4)

Term 2

Monday 24 April to Friday 30 June (Anzac Day Tues 25/4)

Pupil Free Week: Monday 17 July to Friday 22 July

(The College has a THREE week break for the Term 2 holidays)

Term 3

Monday 24 July to Friday 22 September

Term 4

Monday 9 October to Wednesday 6 December (students finish)

College Calendar

Aug 22

12:30pm – 1:13pm. Secondary Athletics Presentation in Hall

3:10pm – 4:15pm. Country Week girls volleyball training – grassed area in front of Hall

3:15pm – 4:30pm. Country Week Boys Volleyball Training

Aug 23

3pm – 4pm. Country Week boys basketball training

3:30pm – 5pm. Homework Club in College Library (in-Term and Yrs 3 to 12 only)*

Aug 24

3:15pm – 4:15pm. Yr 12 Human Biology after school study class (optional)

Aug 25

Interschool surfing State finals – Perth

09am – 3pm. Primary Athletics Carnival (PP to Yr 6)

3pm – 4pm. Maths Support in College Library (in-Term and Yrs 10 to 12 only)*

3:30pm – 5pm. Homework Club in College Library (in-Term and Yrs 3 to 12 only)*

Aug 26

Interschool surfing State finals – Perth

09am – 10:30am. Year 7 S&R Bodyboarding

3:30pm – 4:30pm. Country Week Girls Netball Training after-school

Aug 28