The focus so far has been the basic building blocks of thinking about learning and problem-solving. That is why we started with concepts like the learning pit, learning mode, performance mode, the learning domains, and the dispositions of noticing, collaborating, wondering and communicating. As we continue to build this box of learning tools for each student, it is a logical progression to examine the surrounding related structures of the school in consideration of this framework. For example, what could our academic and pastoral award system look like if framed within our five domains? Is coming 1st in a subject the most important and deserving measure of achievement, or should the focus be more on the progress made in learning and self-improvement? Are our school assessments and tests asking the right questions and assessing the right areas to promote deep and enduring thinking? Do our school reports rightly reflect the frames of learning that shape the way we teach and assess students? How does our pastoral care program integrate with our domains and dispositions? These are the kinds of questions the leadership and staff will continue to work through in the coming months and years as we journey further down the road.

In a winter term that has been quite cold and wet and has seen many students and staff fighting colds, flu and other respiratory ailments, I pray that the coming break will be an opportunity for rest and reflection. Our staff will be engaging in a range of professional learning activities in the third week of the break, and we look forward to welcoming our students back on Monday, 29 July.

Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken. [Psalm 55:22]

Mr David Stonestreet
Principal

Our learning dispositions we have explored so far this year included the skills of noticing, collaborating, communicating and wondering, and now we are beginning to look at emulating.

In Tim’s role as Lighting Director he had noticed we struggled with the way follow spots function in our current lighting system. He then wondered what he could do about it and was so resourceful that he literally created a device with a joystick that connects to our lights and can control them smoothly, mimicking (or emulating) a professional device that would have been a huge cost to the school! In addition, he displayed strong leadership skills in collaborating with a Year 8 student who he trained to operate the device for the performances.

Well done Tim!!

Mrs Natalie Bluhdorn
Academic Head 

Well done to all of our students for their hard work across this term. I know Peter Richardson, who we welcome back as Head of Secondary at the start of next term, will be so pleased with their efforts while he has been on leave.

NAIDOC Week 

One major national event that often runs during our holiday period is NAIDOC Week. It’s a time to celebrate the histories, cultures and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. NAIDOC Week is held each year during the first week of July and is an important annual event where everyone is invited to join in the celebrations.

We will be celebrating this event early next term as a school and look forward to continuing our conversation about how we can celebrate the many cultures within our country.

Our school encourages students, parents and staff to pray for all people, and especially that all would be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth of God. Furthermore, we seek to encourage one another to love their neighbours as themselves, praying for and working toward their welfare, as God provides opportunities. One such opportunity is during NAIDOC week.

NAIDOC Week Origins Established by a Man of God

How did NAIDOC Week begin? In 1933 a Christian Yorta Yorta man by the name of William Cooper saw the poor treatment of First Nations people and petitioned for an Aboriginal representative in parliament. When this did not eventuate Cooper persevered, calling churches to pray for the Indigenous peoples of our land. He held an Aboriginal Day of Mourning in 1938 to raise awareness of what the landing of the First Fleet meant for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. This merged into a yearly event that included celebration of the achievements of what First Nations people have survived, eventually becoming NAIDOC Week. Yet God had given William Cooper compassion for people who suffer that stretched beyond our country, such that he even protested the treatment of the Jews in Nazi Germany. His was one of the first protests in the world against the actions of the Nazis. It is encouraging to see a fellow Christian stand up for what is right according to God’s call for us to treat others with love and to seek to share God’s truth as well. This took a lot of bravery but William Cooper trusted in God and sought to serve his call despite the barriers he faced.

As we finish the term I pray that all of our families may have some time to rest during this school holiday period, in order to reconnect as families and be refreshed by God’s word. May we all seek to ‘do good to everyone’ (Gal.6:10) as we function in our lives, bringing glory to our great God.

Mrs Kathryn Breen
Acting Head of Secondary 

This was to complete the practice journey of our Duke of Ed award, with the Year 10 students completing Silver this year, and Year 11 doing Gold, which is the final award level of the program.

The hike was a total of 34km and consisted of a variety of terrains, with plenty of walking along a number of different beaches, as well as some bushwalking along the coastline. We camped at Depot Beach on the first night and Oaky Beach on the second, where we had some fun on the sand and played some games around the campfire. We also had to complete a treacherous river crossing, which was a challenge as we attempted to bring ourselves and our packs across the river without getting our clothes and gear wet. To achieve this, we had to get up early in the morning to cross on low tide, but thankfully we all made it across without getting too damp.

Not only that, but we were blessed with spectacular weather right throughout the hike, which was especially amazing considering the rainy streak that we have had in recent weeks.

There was also lots of wildlife to be seen along the walk, with there being an especially large group of Kangaroos that we got to see.

The entire group of Year 10 and 11 students all had an amazing time, with the Silver and Gold groups getting along very well and really enjoying each other’s company.

As a gold student, I have been on many great Duke of Ed hikes over the past few years, but I personally think that this was the best one yet.

Justin Verus
Student

If your junior school aged child (K-Yr 5) in interested in being a part of Production Program here are some important details:

• All communication will be posted on our Seussical Jr website on SEQTA, so it is important to check it regularly.
• Auditions will occur in Week 1 of Term 3. Your child may have picked up a physical audition pack - a digital version is available on the Seussical Jr website so you can click on the links. Please fill in the expression of interest form by Wednesday 24 July so we can put an audition schedule together. 
• If you have any questions, please email productions@shirechristian.nsw.edu.au 

Looking forward to a fantastic musical season!

Miss Ashleigh Hackfath
Junior School Director

All 8 students were challenged throughout the day, all 8 students had victories as well as gracious defeats. 

The event was held at The Australian Christian School in Sydney’s North West, a school in a semi rural environment which was an experience in itself.

The Junior team consisted of: Caleb Choi, Kingston Devine and Tyler Nelson. It was their first inter-school competition and as mentioned all shared victories and defeats, but very much enjoyed the day.

Our Secondary team of Jarred Bennison, Cameron Honeyman, Joel Knight, Clayton McKay and Adriel Tsui had a combined score which achieved 2nd place overall.

Mr Craig Wilson

Congratulations, Ian! 

Based on the international smash-hit film, and featuring a score by music legend Elton John, BILLY ELLIOT is an astonishing theatrical experience with the heart, humour and passion, named TIME Magazine's "Best Musical of the Decade!"

Tickets are now on sale via the Engadine Musical Society website. 

Content Warning: This show has strong language and adult themes that may offend some people. It is reflective of the socio-economic and political climate of the time in which it is set. Viewer discretion is advised. Anyone under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult.

Our first stop was an HSC speaking Day at Goethe Institut, where we had workshops to prepare for the upcoming oral exams. We then went to a German restaurant and ate some authentic German cuisine. Throughout the day- on buses, trains, at the restaurant and even walking along the road-  we tried to speak in German. Es war eine Herausforderung- aber wir haben es geschafft!

The students have written about the day… but I think they have forgotten how to speak English! Here are some of their reflections on the day…

Laiana

Der Ausflug war sehr hilfreich für mich. Ich habe “als ich jung war” gelernt und ich habe den Satz in meiner Prüfung benutzt. Ich habe mit vielen “Continuers” Deutsch-Schüler*innen gesprochen und das war interessant, aber ich war nicht so gut wie die andere Leute! Dieser Ausflug war sehr spaßig!

Madison

Es war hilfreich, mit anderen Deutsch-Schüler*innen zu sprechen. Ich habe viel gelernt, und es hat viel Spaß gemacht. Es war interessant, andere Leute kennenzulernen.

Luke

Meiner Meinung nach war dieser Ausflug sehr hilfreich, weil ich viel gelernt habe und es auch viel Spaß gemacht hat. Meine Lieblingsaktivität war “Speed Dating”, weil es ein bisschen Spaß gemacht hat und auch eine sehr gute Übung war.

Mit freundlichen Grüßen,

Frau Gemma McWhirter

The staff at the centre welcomed the children and gave them a talk about bike safety.

The extensive track allowed the children to practise riding bikes, attempting to stay in the correct lane and respond to traffic lights and other signs.

The children were also taught about pedestrian safety and had the opportunity to take turns at riding and being pedestrians. It was a wonderful time.

Mrs Bentley and Mrs Ishak
Prep Teachers

The annual Write On Competition gives students the opportunity to become published authors and develop skills in writing to express their ideas.

Students compose an imaginative text of up to 500 words, using an image as the stimulus. This year’s stimulus was ‘The railway station, Redfern’ (1893) by Arthur Streeton. 

Only one piece of writing per stage can be selected for entry. Special mention to the following students whose stories were chosen for submission into the Write On Competition. 

• Ethan Shi 2K
• Willow Napper 3T
• Emily Russell 6V

The railway station, Redfern’ (1893)

We also had 55 submissions in the Dorothea Mackellar Poetry Awards this year. Special mention to the students in 6V for the most submissions from one class! We look forward to receiving the results in September. 

Mrs Leonie Hampson

The Open Girls team clinched victories in two hard-fought matches, showcasing exceptional teamwork and skill. The Under 15’s team determination shone through, securing a commendable fourth place in the pool. Proud smiles adorned tired faces as they celebrated their overall place.

New to the competition this year was the inaugural boys competition. It was great to see 16 teams of boys from as far away as Dubbo and Wyong, engage in the inaugural CSSA Open Boys Netball competition! With a variety of Football, Basketball and other athletic backgrounds this group of boys from Year 7-11 engaged in a fierce day of competition, representing the school with great sportsmanship and skill! The day was filled with some very close competition, with the team winning three of their seven games and losing two others by a solitary goal! I’m sure the boys will be back next year, all better for the experience!

Cheers echoed as they maneuvered through challenging plays and celebrated each goal. Despite losses in other games, players maintained resilience, learning valuable lessons in defeat. The camaraderie among teammates shone brightly throughout the day and coaches praised their determination and improvement. The day was not just about scores but about growth, teamwork, and the spirit of sportsmanship.

Mr Gallagher & Miss Yock

All teams had a mixture of wins, losses and draws. There was great team spirit, encouragement of one another and we all enjoyed a great day of netball.

Leanne Bentley and Emily Watters

Godly parenting is a thousand times harder and more complex for us today than it was in the 1970s, when a small group of committed Christians in the Sutherland Shire decided to establish Christ-centred, Bible-centred education for their children to counter the direction in which public education was heading. What we predicted about this trend over 50 years ago is now very much among us, and we need all the help we can get to ensure the spiritual health of our children as they struggle under this pressure. Stephen McAlpine is a clear thinker and has some very encouraging and affirming advice to help us negotiate the minefield we’re in.

The back cover says:

“Western culture has changed dramatically over the last few decades, and it shows no sign of stopping. If you’re feeling bewildered, you’re not the only one.

“Can the Bible help when we face questions about social media, cancel culture, or what pronouns to use? Can Jesus be attractive to the next generation when Christian values are seen as outdated or offensive? Can our churches survive, let alone thrive?

“Yes.

“Jesus has made the church futureproof. He has given us everything we need - not just to survive, but to build flourishing, wise, compelling communities that face the future with confidence.

“We just have to think through how.”

I was encouraged by the way Stephen McAlpine points to Moses’ command to Israel in Deuteronomy 6. Parents must avoid ‘outsourcing’ the discipling of their children to technological devices, by putting them in front of a screen to occupy them allowing the parent to get on with important tasks. We need to take seriously the command: “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. IMPRESS them on your children. TALK about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.” (Deuteronomy 6:4-9). And Stephen McAlpine gives excellent practical advice about how to fulfil these commands.

I found the book very confronting and challenging, but also very comforting, and encouraging of us not to give up. This is how he ends Chapter 7, ‘The Culture Wars: How to Flourish as a Citizen’:

“Here’s the encouragement: There’s a King above who still rules and reigns, despite the secular culture’s insistence otherwise. The culture war is, in the end, a phoney war; the true battle has been fought and won by King Jesus over the powers and principalities. What we are experiencing are the retreating skirmishes of a vanquished foe - rebellious citizens who have usurped their true King in the vain hope of claiming territory they do not own. But we have true hope: “But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Saviour from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.” (Philippians 3:20-21).

I cannot recommend this book strongly enough!

Rev Bruce Christian

The evening will include:

• Live Music
• Drama Performances
• HSC Major Work Displays
• Design & Technology Displays
• Textiles & Design Displays
• Visual Arts Displays 
• Food Tech Cafe: Tea, Coffee, Hot Chocolate, Cookies available

Free Entry

Shire Christian School Hall

Children under 12 years must be accompanied by an adult.

With Edstart, you can fund tuition fees, additional charges such as uniforms, extra-curricular activities as well as amounts in arrears.

To find out more, visit edstart.com.au/shirechristian.

Please note that in providing information about Edstart, the school is not providing any recommendation, brokering or advice services. The school does not receive referral fees, commissions or any other remuneration from Edstart.

Below you’ll find the University Open Day 2024 information by date and by institution. I’d encourage students in Years 10 and 11 to also consider attending these Open Days. I’m always available to speak with students and their parents about careers, please reach out to me.

Tertiary Open Days 2024

Mrs Tracey Fleming
Careers Advisor
tfleming@shirechristian.nsw.edu.au 

The initiative is designed to build community, encourage support for our families who are business owners and provide access to goods and services from within our community.

If you’re going to spend anyway, why not spend with a local Shire Christian School connected business and invest in your community.

View the directory on our website or register your business.