HEAD OF SCHOOL UPDATE Jonathan Brayshaw
Dear Parents and Carers,
Our Year 11 cohort began their Examinations on Monday 9 September, with these examinations continuing throughout Week 8. We ask that you join us in praying for all of our Year 11 students as they navigate this important time in their academic journey.
Our Year 12 students are nearing the end of their schooling and we are incredibly thankful for the way they are finishing this chapter with such dedication and commitment. We look forward to formally celebrating their achievements together with their families at the upcoming Graduation Ceremony and Valedictory Dinner in the final week of Term 3.
Two weeks ago, I provided a uniform update to all of our families in Secondary School. Essentially, this update advised that students are permitted to wear their summer uniform, however, should students wish to continue wearing their winter uniform, they are able to do so. Please note that this update will remain in place for the remainder of Term 3. At the beginning of Term 4, all students will be required to wear their summer uniform. For your convenience, you can find our College Uniform guide here.
Finally, as we continue to move forward, please be reminded that our lines of communication are always open:
Should you wish to communicate with your child between 8.00 am and 3.10 pm, please contact the Secondary Hub reception on 02 9421 7111 or via email at secondaryhubmp@acc.edu.au
To notify us of any absences, please email attendancemp@acc.edu.au
If you need to contact your child’s teacher, the first point of contact should be with the Homeroom Teacher.
For matters about student wellbeing or information about Year level programs, it is best to reach out to your child’s Year Advisor and Stage Coordinator.
For serious concerns involving your child, or for issues pertaining to more than one Stage or a group of students, it is best to contact the Head of Secondary.
Thank you for entrusting us with the education and wellbeing of your children.
SECONDARY ENCOUNTER Benjamin Green
On Wednesday evening this week, students in Years 7 - 12 gathered for our annual Secondary Encounter Night. This is always a highly anticipated event in the life of the College. The event kicked off at 4.00 pm with pre-service activities, where students were able to enjoy a BBQ and have fun together. From 5.00 pm, students participated in a time of singing in worship to the God of the Bible, spent time in prayer together and heard some encouraging stories from our guest speakers. We were privileged to have St Paul's youth band join us to lead our students in this time of worship.
Running concurrently, we hosted our inaugural Encounter Alumni Event. It was wonderful to see many familiar faces return to the College from as far back as 2019. They spent the afternoon mingling, hearing from past students and were then able to join us for the main Encounter event with our current students. It was a joy to have both groups together.
Encounter is always a powerful time for our students to grow in their relationship with Jesus. Yesterday we celebrated the 28 students who indicated they made some form of decision to follow Jesus at our Encounter event, and we can't wait to follow up with them further as God continues to work in their life. A big thank you to our amazing staff team who made this a meaningful event for everyone involved!
CSSA STATE ATHLETICS CARNIVAL Sarah Allen
The weather was perfect, the atmosphere was buzzing and it was such a joy to see our students out on the track and field at the Christian Schools Sports Association (CSSA) State Athletics Carnival. Our accomplished group competed with confidence, skill and discipline, achieving some outstanding results in both individual and team events.
Our dedicated team of thirty two Secondary students competed throughout the day, displaying exemplary talent and sportsmanship. The way the students competed, encouraged and supported one another, and the way that they acknowledged the skill and talent out on the field, was so heartwarming. As schoolmates sprinted, jumped and threw javelins, shot puts and discus, our students cheered them on and the grandstand was ‘alive’. As records were broken, the celebrations got louder, and we were all in awe of the athletes who were in those fast shoes, regardless of their school! There was such an appreciation of one anothers skills and God given gifts.
A huge congratulations to all of our representatives on their achievements at the State Carnival. Special congratulations goes out to Edwina B, Summer A, Jordyn D, Isaac H and James U who will be representing our School, Zone and State at the Combined Independent Schools (CIS) Championships at the end of the month.
YEAR 9 ELECTIVE DANCE Bec Mewjork
The Year 9 Elective Dance class recently embarked on an exciting excursion to the prestigious Sydney Dance Company. This experience offered the students a unique opportunity to not only learn new dance techniques, but also gain insight into the life of a professional dancer.
The highlight of the day was a hip hop workshop led by a professional dancer. The students were introduced to various hip hop styles, learning skills such as improvisation and working on a small routine. This allowed them to explore their creativity while building confidence in their abilities to move freely and express themselves through dance. The routine was energetic and dynamic, offering a fun challenge that pushed students to step outside their comfort zones.
The excursion to Sydney Dance Company was not only an educational experience but also an inspiring one. It allowed the Year 9 students to develop their skills in a supportive and professional environment. Many left feeling motivated to continue pursuing their passion for dance, with new techniques and knowledge to apply in their future performances.
TASTER DAY Sharon Le Grange
In Week 5, our On Campus Year 8 students had an opportunity to 'taste' some of the Electives being offered in 2025. Students were able to choose four Electives which interested them and experienced what it would be like to study these subjects. They had the opportunity to ask questions of the teachers running the electives, which will assist them in making their Elective choices for Year 9.
Students participated in a wide variety of subjects, from the areas of creative arts, technology, sports, languages and money management. They were excited to try out these new subjects and achieved a great deal in the short time available. Year 8 students will soon receive an email asking them for their final elective choices for the upcoming year. We hope this fun Taster Day has assisted their decision making process!
MATHEMATICS UPDATE Luke Turner-Mann
In Week 2 of this term, students had the opportunity to participate in the annual Australian Mathematics Competition (AMC). The AMC is an international competition (offered in 30 different countries on the same day) that tests students' logic and mathematical reasoning skills. Around forty students from Years 7 - 10 attempted the test. The top performing students in each Year level were Vibhansh S (Year 7), Vishal S (Year 8), Amreen M (Year 9) and Nathan T (Year 10).
This week, our Year 7 classes explored how to calculate the volume of different prisms. Students defined what constitutes a prism and calculated its volume by multiplying the area of the cross section with the height of the prism. Mrs. Ganta brought in different prisms for students to measure the volume. We had great joy exploring ways to utilise these skills with our props, a fantastic way to consolidate theoretical knowledge!
FREE PARENT WEBINAR
Open Parachute is a peer-reviewed, psychology based wellbeing program designed for students that ACC has implemented across our Secondary school. From time to time, Open Parachute hosts online parent webinars that aim to support parents in caring for their child's wellbeing, covering topics such as 'Managing Your Child's Anxiety' and 'Navigating Bullying'. While we use Open Parachute in Secondary, the parent webinars are appropriate for parents who have children from Kindergarten to Year 12.
Open Parachute’s next webinar is on Tuesday 17 September, 2024: ‘When Your Kid Screams for Screens: Building a Family Screen Time Solution’.
Dr. Nicole Sokol from Head into Healing will provide valuable insights and practical tips to help guide families through the daunting, and often daily, challenge of managing screen time usage. Parents will learn how to minimise the risks associated with screen time and the essential steps to help their family establish healthy digital habits.