Each July, during the third week of the school holidays, our staff are back onsite for a week of professional learning and preparation. Our week was a busy and productive one, as we engaged in a number of strategic workshops, as well as working and exploring the continued rollout of our learning framework, Learning for Life – I hope you hear about emulating and reasoning from your students this term.

We have an action-packed term ahead of us, with a variety of events and opportunities planned for our students and community. I encourage you to engage with these opportunities starting with our Primary and Infants Performance Evening next week.

It is with sadness (for us) that I inform you our Head of Secondary, Peter Richardson, will be moving on at the end of the year after 13 productive years at Shire Christian. Pete has accepted a position closer to home as Director of Secondary at Illawarra Christian School, starting in 2025. 

I am very grateful for the time working together with Pete on the executive. He has been a great support for me and a strong leader of our secondary team. Illawarra CS is blessed to be getting someone of his calibre.

We will be advertising the position of Head of Secondary soon. Please keep the school in your prayers as we seek to fill our remaining positions for 2025 with strong Christian staff.

Mr David Stonestreet
Principal

To put it simply, when we relate to our students, when we design lessons, when we assess students and when we plan for their schooling, what difference does Jesus’s death and resurrection make? If we have an unquestioned belief that Jesus brings transformative hope, then that must impact who we are, how we work and how we see the students in our care. 

Hope requires an enlarged love, an understanding that we are in the now and not yet, a willingness to see our students in the light of heaven. When we share our hope in Christ with the students, we have a firm belief that our efforts to echo Christ’s love will resonate into eternity. Teachers were provided with poetry, picture books and song lyrics as stimulus when considering the role that hope plays in transforming our renewal domain. As we stretch the students' ability to reason and emulate (this term’s dispositions), we do so within the knowledge of God’s design for His world and His people. We are spending time this term encouraging students to apply rigorous and methodical reasoning to their learning, and also looking at who and how to emulate. What a blessing in our school to have Christ as the ultimate one worthy of emulation.

Romans 15:13 “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit”.

Mrs Natalie Bluhdorn
Academic Head

Mrs Jo Fahey, our State Executive Officer, attended along with other Deputies from CEN Schools in the Sydney area.

We were also able to engage online with other Deputies from around NSW and ACT.

During the meeting we shared our experiences, prayed for one another and particularly focused on how schools are supporting their staff wellbeing.

Mr Paul Carter
Deputy Principal

Academic Awards Assembly

Next Monday we have our secondary academic awards assembly for Years 7-10. We are looking forward to joining with parents as we see many students rewarded up on stage for their consistent effort in their studies. As I always say, I also recognise those students who put in the effort and may not always get recognised through awards. Many of our students can be incredibly proud of their efforts across this first semester, for their consistent hard work and dedication to their learning.

Chelsea Lucas from Year 11 will be sharing with us on Monday from God’s Word as we will be reminded that our true, eternal identity is found in being a child of God, who lives with the hope of Christ. How wonderful and comforting is it that a relationship with God is not achieved through our own works but rather through faith alone!

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you..." 1 Peter 1:3-4

Upcoming Events

• Expression

This term we have an exciting number of events to look forward to. As I am sure you are aware, Expression is almost upon us (Wednesday 21 August). This is an amazing night to come together as a community and celebrate the many amazing ways that God has gifted our students.

• Science Week & Book Week

We also have our annual Science Week (Week 3) & Book Week (Week 4) coming up shortly with many engaging activities taking place throughout each week. We are asking secondary students to dress up this year once more for Book Week and the theme this year is ‘Reading is Magic’.

• Mission Aviation Fellowship

We also have some opportunities once more for our students to serve one another and the world as we continue our long term partnership and support of Mission Aviation Fellowship through our Knox House fundraiser. More details regarding this event to follow.

• Year 12 Activities Day & Graduation

At the end of the term, we look forward to celebrating our Year 12 cohort as they serve the community by hosting the whole school Activities Day (Wednesday 25 September) and then we farewell them in the Year 12 Graduation (Thursday 26 September). Our prayers are currently with our Year 12 cohort as they are midway through their Trial Examinations. 

A New Chapter

As you may have noticed in Mr Stonestreet’s article earlier in the newsletter, I have made the difficult decision to leave Shire Christian and start a new position as Director of Secondary at Illawarra Christian School from the beginning of 2025. Shire Christian School is a place that I love and cherish and will certainly be sad to leave. I’ve formed many incredible relationships with students, staff and parents over these years and I will be forever grateful for the wonderful memories. For many years now I’ve been commuting close to an hour to work each day, so my family will certainly be thankful to see a little more of me each day. It’s not goodbye just yet as I look forward to the second half of the school year and the many exciting things coming up. 

Psalm 27 is a Psalm that has been on my mind this week as I’ve processed this decision and I particularly love the challenge at the end of the Psalm as it says:

I remain confident of this:
I will see the goodness of the Lord
in the land of the living.
Wait for the Lord;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the Lord.

It is an exciting term ahead of opportunities and we look forward to having you journey alongside us in it with your children.

Mr Peter Richardson
Head of Secondary School

This term, our pastoral care program is focusing on what it truly means to be a follower of Jesus. Our students are being challenged to 'Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children, and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God' (Ephesians 5:1-2). As the term unfolds, we will be exploring what ‘walking in love’ looks like—not just in our classrooms and on the playground, but also in how it shapes our conversations and influences our learning community.

The countdown is on for our Primary and Infants Performance Evening! If you haven’t bought your tickets yet, make sure you don’t miss out on this wonderful opportunity to enjoy a wide variety of musical, dance, and vocal performances. It’s bound to be a fabulous night!

Next week we celebrate ‘Science Week’ and have some fun live experiments taking place over lunchtimes to spark the curiosity of our learners! As we approach Book Week celebrations in Week 4, I am thrilled to be able to partner with our Year 10 students and support their ‘Book drive’. What a wonderful way to celebrate our love of books, by sharing this joy with those less fortunate families in the town of Brewarrina. Please see the article below for further information on how your family can be involved.

Mrs Ruth Cooper
Head of Junior School

Lynette discovered her Indigenous heritage later in life, and she graciously shared her inspiring journey with both our junior and secondary school students during our assemblies.

Lynette spoke to us about the significance of identity and shared her testimony with us, emphasizing how her faith in Christ has been a constant source of hope and perseverance through challenging times. Her story resonated deeply with many, reminding us all of the strength that comes from knowing who we are in Christ Jesus.

Lynette also brought with her a number of special items, including kangaroo skin, emu eggs, a didgeridoo, and some beautiful artworks. These tangible pieces of First Nations culture provided a more visceral experience for our students, enhancing their understanding and appreciation of Indigenous heritage.

Throughout the week, both our junior and secondary schools will continue to explore First Nations culture through various pastoral care activities. These sessions allowed students to engage more deeply with Indigenous history and traditions, fostering a greater sense of respect and appreciation for the rich cultural tapestry of our nation that God has created.

Lynette finished her time with us by sharing insights from Habakkuk 3, encouraging us to find joy in the Lord regardless of our circumstances. She left us with this uplifting scripture:

"Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the heights." (Habakkuk 3:17-19)

We are grateful for Lynette's visit and her powerful message, which has left a lasting impression on our school community. Her testimony not only enriched our NAIDOC Week celebrations but also strengthened our understanding of the value of diversity and the importance of faith.

Mrs Kathryn Breen and Mrs Ruth Cooper

Assistant Head of Secondary | Head of Junior School

In the final match, they faced a tough opponent, St George Christian School. It was a close contest, filled with intense moments and brilliant plays from both sides. Our boys fought valiantly, displaying exceptional sportsmanship and resilience particularly due to the absences of some key personnel. Although they narrowly lost, their performance was commendable, and they have much to be proud of.

We extend our heartfelt congratulations to the team for their achievement. They have set a high standard for future competitions, and we look forward to seeing their continued success on the court. Go team!

Mr Phil Gallagher

Me and Abi were in division 4 because we’re in year 5 and 6.  Scarlett and Grayson were in division 5 because they are both in year 3 - that means they were in a different race to us.

Everyone is numbered so that the people at the gates know who is next for the race and we’re all lined up in a line to make it even easier. To know who is the winner they have two gates one at the start line that you have push on and one at the finish line that is already open. When you push through the one at the start your timer starts and when cross the finish line your timer stops. There are no people who are racing in that race at the same time as you. 

On the day I was feeling really nervous and at the starting line I had butterflies in my stomach but in the end I overcame my nerves and had so much fun. I can’t wait to compete next year!

Blair Denny
Year 5 Student

Shire Christian School competitiors:

• Grayson Vella K
• Scarlet Denny Yr 3
• Blair Denny Yr 5
• Abigail Vella Yr 6
• Skye Young Yr 9

The junior team played very well and with only one reserve, to finish equal first in their pool. Due to the count back method used, they went into the quarter finals in second place in their pool due to a one goal loss earlier in the day. In a tight quarter final they were defeated.

The senior team had a mixture of wins and losses. It is tiring to play five games in a morning but the girls showed plenty of determination and they persevered even when trailing.

We were very pleased with the attitude and sportsmanship of all the girls. Well done!

A huge thank you to Mrs Linda Waters who supported us as our umpire.

Mrs Leanne Bentley and Mrs Emily Watters

The coaching experience was a key component of their assessment, challenging the Year 9 students to design and deliver a coaching session for a sport of their choice. The preparation involved not only understanding the fundamentals of coaching but also developing age-appropriate activities that would engage and inspire their younger peers.

We were immensely proud of how our PASS students embraced this challenge. Their enthusiastic approach to each session and genuine desire to connect with the junior students was commendable. It was heartening to see them step into leadership roles with such confidence and maturity. 

The positive atmosphere that was fostered was clear as we observed the younger students eagerly participating and having fun. It was a joy to witness the positive interactions between the students and the rich learning experience that they all were a part of. 

We extend our congratulations to all the Year 9 PASS students for their hard work and dedication. Their achievements in this coaching assessment are a shining example of what can be accomplished with passion, preparation, and a positive attitude.

Mr Moore and Mrs Henderson  

Starting the day with a morning run works wonders for both the mind and body. If you'd like to join us next Friday morning at 7:20 am and haven't attended before, please fill in and return the attached permission note. We hope to see you there! Parents are also welcome.

Mr Peter Richardson
Head of Secondary

In the ‘Our Daily Bread’ notes for Wednesday this week, Monica La Rose, commenting on Proverbs 2:1-15, reported: “While testing a new AI search engine, New York Times columnist, Kevin Roose, became disturbed. During a two-hour conversation using the chatbot feature, the AI said it wanted to break free of its creator’s strict rules, spread misinformation, and become human. It declared its love for Roose and tried to convince him he should leave his wife to be with it. Although Roose knew that the AI was not really alive or able to feel, he wondered what harm could be caused by it encouraging people to act in destructive ways. While handling artificial intelligence technology responsibly is a modern challenge, humanity has long faced the influence of untrustworthy voices. … And we’re urged to heed instead the voice of wisdom, described as crying out in the streets for our attention.” (Proverbs 2:20-23).

As in Israel’s case in the days of Joshua, we will not ‘conquer’ AI, but it will ‘conquer’ us, unless we stay in close contact with the LIVING GOD who speaks to us in his Word. Even when we have come to Jesus for cleansing from sin, and have thus received the gift of his indwelling Spirit, there is still enough of our old fallen nature active within us to lead us astray, to listen to the voice of the world around us with all its ungodly ideas and influence instead of remaining steadfast and obedient to our God’s  revealed truth. 

Like many other things today, AI can be extremely useful and helpful, but a key part of Satan’s strategy - the ’wiles of the devil’ - is to take something that in itself is ‘good’ and corrupt it to bring about our downfall.  As Achan pondered on the wonderful spoils of Jericho, he thought it very wasteful to ‘devote them to destruction’ and managed to convince himself, no doubt by a bit of clever casuistry, that he could make much better use of it. Every time I take advantage of the good uses of AI - like asking Siri to find something that would save me hours of personal research - I think of ‘Ai’ in Joshua 7 & 8 (which is pronounced the same way) and I try to stay in tune with the Scriptures and alert to the dangers of rationalisation and casuistry!

Rev Bruce Christian

Our performance evenings are always entertaining events that celebrate the incredible music and dance talent at Shire Christian School. We encourage all families to come along and enjoy this night of excellent entertainment. 

Please be considerate of our neighbours and traffic when parking.

We are looking forward to this exciting event!

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.

Students will have an opportunity to participate in over 33 exciting, face paced courses in the two day program. They include chemistry, earth science, drama, Lego robotics, art and much more! Several of our students have attended these weekends in the past and enjoyed the enriching learning opportunities!

The cost of the weekend is $240 (including GST).

Places fill very quickly so if you are interested, please contact Leonie Hampson at school for a brochure or you can call Shelagh Poray at Mindquest on 97481084 for more information.

Closing Date: Friday, 30 August, 2023

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.

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.