June 6, 2024

Term 2 Week 6

From our Director of Mission and Community, Mr David Gray

When you work each day in a school setting, time is everything. Bell times, break times, meeting times, period times, library time. There are times to have recess and lunch and a time to go off and play some sport. A time to meet with colleagues, meet with students, or catch up with parents. We spend time welcoming new families, cleaning our grounds, playing music and then there are those extended times away on school camp. Time ultimately decides the College’s budget, what you do and what you don’t do. Teachers always talk about never having enough time. Students…usually teenagers…often look at teachers and wonder why time is going so slowly in their classroom. Parents are regularly overheard saying, “where did the time go…they were only just in Kindy and now look at them”.

Time…it ticks, it tocks, it ticks, it tocks…..and then the events of last week happen.

A moment in time where everything stops, where the routines and flow disappear in a flash and we simply feel numb. Time stands still. Equilibrium and balance, all out of whack. Those things that we do day in, day out, now seem out of place, almost wrong. Questions, so many questions. Sadness. Anger. Confusion. Grief. Memories.

As our College mourns the tragic passing of Amelia, our hearts are breaking for the Kotze family. We extend our deepest sympathies to Alex and Nico as they grieve the loss of their beautiful daughter.

Our staff, many who have taught Amelia over a number of years, desperately want you, our parents, students and friends to know that it is in this time we are confidently resting in the knowledge that our Lord is good and kind and gracious. He is compassionate and worthy of our trust, having walked these moments with his own son.

Drawing strength from Psalm 46, our collective focus as a staff team has simply been to stop and be still.

10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”

11 The Lord Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Please join us in prayer for the Kotze family as we rest in His strength, our fortress.

Director of Mission and Community, Mr David Gray

Prayer and Praise

BCC Prayer Warriors

We are privileged to be able to run a monthly prayer morning. It’s a treat to pray for new families, students and staff, share some coffee and cake and enjoy great conversation. Everyone is welcome to join us on the first Monday of each month from 8:45am – 9:30am to pray alongside parents and local churches. Come for a bit, or come for the whole time.

Please sign-in at the College Office. We meet near the Weathershed in the College Garden. Simply follow the signs.

For more information or to ask for personal prayer, please email prayerwarriors@bcc.nsw.edu.au.

Check out the prayer focus areas and upcoming dates in the image below.

Prayer Points:

Prayer for Amelia, her family, friends and the community: Pray for Amelia’s family and friends as they cope with her loss. Ask for God’s peace that surpasses all understanding to comfort them. Pray for the school, students, and community as they navigate this difficult time. May God’s strength sustain them.
Thankfulness for community support: Express gratitude for the support from local churches, neighboring Christian schools and the community. Thank Hope UC for sending youth group leaders to support students. Thankful for Michelle Sparrow for her art therapy sessions and Nate Miller and the stage leaders for their dedication and continuous support.
Our Global Community: Pray for God’s blessings upon the global community. Ask that people’s hearts be touched to know God’s love and truth. Pray for inspiration and transformation worldwide, bringing hope, healing, and a turning towards God.
Beanies for Brain Cancer: Praise God for the Mark Hughes Foundation. Pray that we raise a significant amount of money for vital brain cancer research. Ask for God’s blessing on this initiative and for the success of their efforts in combating this disease.

Prayer for HSC Students

It’s that time of year again when we ask people to volunteer to pray for the 2024 HSC students. Our goal is for each HSC student to have at least one person from the College community committing to pray for them each day from the beginning of Term 3 until when the HSC exams finish on 8 November. We are asking people to commit to praying for two specific HSC students, the names of whom we will provide to you.

Why start specific prayer in Term 3? Well, in Term 3 the HSC gets more real for the students as they have their HSC Trials in August, Major Works (Art and D&T) are due towards the end of August, and Drama and Music performances, along with Language Oral Exams in September. The HSC Exams start on 14 October.

As part of our wider community focus, we also ask that you please pray for the HSC students at Belmont High School. It can be a challenging time for so many young people.

If you are interested in committing to praying for two of our HSC students, please contact us via prayerwarriors@bcc.nsw.edu.au

Upcoming Important Dates

Primary

Secondary

14.06.24 | Photo Day Secondary
18.06.24 | CSSA Netball Gala Day
19.06.24 | Year 11 & 12 Drama Excursion Stolen Theatre Company

Whole College

10.06.24 | King’s Birthday Public Holiday
12.06.24 | Beanies for Brain Cancer Day
05.07.24 | Coins for Compassion

Save the date

12.09.24 | Primary Show
03.12.24 | End of Year Festival

Our College Calendar is available on our website where you can be kept up-to-date with events throughout the year. Closer to the event parents and carers will receive communication via the Sentral Parent App and/or email.

BCC Business Directory

Our Parent’s Business Directory is available on the College website via the Community Hub. It is so great to see many BCC parents get on board with this initiative and share their business details with the wider BCC community.

BCC Business Directory

If you are keen to join this Business Directory, which is exclusive to current BCC parents, please enter your business.

Restore Parent Coaching Information Sessions

The College continues to partner with Restore Parent Coaching, and we encourage BCC parents and carers to investigate further by attending a free online information session with Shelby and Lil. There is a Zoom session coming up next on Tuesday, 13 August from 7:30pm. If next week does not suit, there are other dates available in the RSVP link below. Both Shelby and Lil would love to meet you and offer their support as you do the journey with raising your child.

RSVP here

Beanies for Brain Cancer Day

Wednesday, 12 June 2024

We were honored to welcome Mark Hughes to our College recently! His visit was truly inspiring as he shared about the incredible work of the Mark Hughes Foundation. The foundation exists to support brain cancer patients and their families, fund research, and raise awareness about this devastating disease. Mark highlighted their recent successes and ongoing needs, showing us the impact of community support.

Mark encouraged us to get involved by supporting cancer sufferers and their families in practical ways. One meaningful way we can all contribute is by supporting the foundation’s Beanie for Brain Cancer campaign. Purchasing a beanie from IGA or Lowes not only helps raise funds but also shows solidarity with those affected by brain cancer.

We invite all students and families to join us in wearing a beanie and bringing a gold coin donation on Beanie for Brain Cancer Day, Wednesday, 12 June 2024. Let’s come together as a community to show our support!

Additionally, please keep the foundation in your prayers, asking for strength and healing for patients, wisdom for researchers, and comfort for families.
Thank you for your continued support and compassion.

Download the Sentral Parent App today!

For all major announcements regarding College Life, student reports & absences, calendar access, newsletters, excursion permissions, fee payments and much more, the College uses the Sentral Parent App. If you have not already, please download the Sentral Parent App by searching ‘Sentral for Parents’ in the App Store on your smartphone and ensure that notifications are enabled within the App. Set up instructions can be found here. If you have any trouble registering, please email the College on sentral@bcc.nsw.edu.au and our friendly IT department will support you through the process.

Staff Update

We are pleased to have many new staff that have recently joined us here at the College. Over the term you will have the opportunity to learn more about them in our Newsletter.

You may also like to read the Our People page on the College website to find out a little more about all of our staff.

Mr Shane Smith – Learning Enrichment Aide

Tell us about your photo.

I love sport generally however in recent years have come to really enjoy trail running with my wife, children and friends.

What church do you attend?

Hunter Christian Church

What church ministries excite you?

I serve as our church football club president within the Hunter Christian Churches Association. Our club currently has two women's teams and three all age teams. I love how this ministry connects different generations within our church. This ministry also serves as a wonderful way for connectivity within each church member's wider community.

What makes you look forward to working at BCC?

Working within a great team who are focused so heavily on helping children enjoy their learning.

Miss Mikaela Meaney – Learning Enrichment Aide

Tell us about your photo.

My prop is a portion of my book collection of historical literature. I love everything historical and antique, one of my favourite things to do is to go to op shops and antique stores. I also love old films and classical music can always be found playing softly in the background in my home. I hold these stories very dear to me.

What church do you attend?

Eastlakes Salvation Army

What church ministries excite you?

I am a member of the Mainly Music team at my church, it is one of my favourite things to be able to connect with all of the families as they come together for play, song and dance. I look forward to it each week!

What makes you look forward to working at BCC?

The people! It’s such a beautiful atmosphere here at BCC, the students and staff always greet you with a smile on their faces.

2024 School Photos

School photographs will be taken for Primary and Beginners #1 on Tuesday, 11 June 2024 and for Secondary and Beginners #2 on Friday, 14 June. We will be taking class group photos as well as individual and pre-ordered sibling photos.

ALL students are asked to wear their full FORMAL WINTER uniform to school on the day. Any students that normally wear Sport uniform on this day will do a lower intensity lesson in their formal uniform.

Please note a reminder of our formal Winter uniform requirements:
~ Kindergarten – Year 12 boys are to wear short or long sleeve shirts tucked in
~ Kindergarten – Year 12 girls are to wear navy opaque stockings, not socks
~ Kindergarten – Year 12 boys are to wear their ties
~ Kindergarten – Year 6 girls are to wear their bows
~ Year 11 and 12 are to wear their blazers
~ Hair needs to be off the face
~ One pair of plain surgical studs or sleepers and one watch only, no other jewellery
~ Girls optional pants are permitted

Orders can be placed securely online at www.advancedlife.com.au using the College’s unique 9 digit Advanced Order Code: P5L NEY LXP. Photo orders are due on Photo Day.

Should you wish to purchase a sibling photograph, the order must be placed no later than 10 June. Sibling photographs will only be taken if an order has been placed. Pre-ordered sibling photos will be taken at lunch time, please ask your eldest child to collect their siblings and line up at the Hall.

It is our preference that ordering be completed online to reduce administration and potential security issues related to the return of cash and envelopes. If ordering online is not possible, order envelopes and cash can be returned to the photographer on Photo Day. Envelopes are available at the College Office.

Should you have any queries concerning this year’s photographs or online ordering, please email enquiries@advancedlife.com.au.

ORDER NOW, go to: www.advancedlife.com.au and enter the code: P5L NEY LXP

Sport News

CSSA Cross Country

Thankfully for all runners, the strong winds and rain did not set in last Friday as we sent students to compete in the NSW CSSA Cross Country.

Our team was struck down quite heavily by illness, with many missing on the day. We still had some incredible results, with 6 students qualifying for the NSW CIS Cross Country held this week. This is the highest number of CSSA representatives we’ve ever sent through from the Primary School.

Skye Porter is the 10yr Girls NSW CSSA Champion, winning her event just 3 seconds ahead of sister Mia who took silver. A very strong race from both girls.

Jade Reeves took 2nd place in the Girls Multiclass, while Zirk Lombard (12yr Boys), Louella Scharfe (12yr Girls) and Miriam Meier (11yr Girls) all finished 8th, with the Top 10 progressing through.

Congratulations to all of our runners.

Zone Girls Soccer

Last week our Girls Soccer teams travelled to Taree to compete in the Zone Girls Soccer Gala Day.

The Junior Girls were excited to be running out as our first ever Junior Girls side and they had an amazing, yet heartbreaking day.

The girls played well all day, reaching the final undefeated and went into the final against Charlton with confidence. Despite dominating the game and not allowing the opposition any shots on goal, the game finished 0-0 and went to penalties.

Unfortunately for our girls, the shootout went the other way and they finished as Runners Up, missing out on a spot in the state finals.

Our Senior Girls went in as the defending champions and continued to show why they have been on top in recent years. They also went through their Pool undefeated and faced Wyong in the final. A late goal to Louella Scharfe saw the girls win the game 1-0, retaining their title and booking their place in the NSW CSSA Finals next week.

Well done to all of our girls for a great day!

JUNIOR GIRLS		SENIOR GIRLS
def Wyong	5-0	def Maitland	4-0
def Taree	3-0	def Taree	2-1
def Charlton	2-0	drew Wyong	0-0
lost to Charlton (FINAL)	0-0 (1-2)	def Charlton	2-0
		def Wyong (FINAL)	1-0

Zone Paul Kelly Cup AFL

Unfortunately a date clash with our Athletics Carnival meant that our Boys and Girls AFL teams had to travel to Maitland to start their journey in the 2024 Paul Kelly Cup.

Belmont Christian College has a strong reputation in this competition and the teams once again stood tall with some very strong results.

Our Boys played very well, not conceding a goal until their final game of the day. The Girls side were extraordinary, with not a single point scored against them in the competition. A feat that we have achieved just once before.

Well done to both of our teams who now go on to the Regional finals to play the other 5 Zone winning teams from the Hunter and Central Coast.

BOYS RESULTS		GIRLS RESULTS
def ACC Singleton	46-0	def King St PS	58-0
def King St PS	28-1	def ACC Singleton	84-0
def Scone Grammar	32-1	def Dudley PS	20-0
def St Phillips Cessnock	65-1
def Dudley PS	38-8

Secondary Athletics Carnival

We were truly blessed with a break in the rain last Wednesday for the annual running of the Secondary Athletics Carnival. Greeted by sunshine and a warmish day, competition was fierce across many age groups. Students ran, sprinted, jumped and threw to earn valuable house points while striving to make the athletics team to represent the College next term.

Congratulations to Booth House for being victors over Robinson this year:

1st – Booth – 1635
2nd – Robinson – 1443
3rd – Cuthbert – 1032
4th – Liddell – 911

Congratulations to Age Champions:

12 Years – Emma Bull & Kai Power
13 Years – Mya Terbeeke & Lincoln Baker
14 Years – Holly Blowes & Toby Fragar
15 Years – Emaline Troyer & Alexander Campbell
16 Years – Olivia Blowes & Dylan Thomas/Joshua Culjack
17 Years – Michellie Robins & Reef Sattler
18 Years – Stephanie Allen & Joshua Wolfenden

Congratulations to the following record-breakers:

Stephanie Allen – 18 Yrs Girls – Long Jump – 4.30m
Archie Bell – 16 Years Boys – High Jump – 1.76m
Holly Blowes – 14 Years Girls – 200m – 29.47sec
Violet Burgrm – 14 Years Girls – 800m – 2:31.79, 1500m – 5:17.45, 400m – 1:04.84
Lomani Clarke – 14 Years Girls – Javelin – 18.09m
Kari Croxford – 13 Years Girls – 100m – 13.87sec, 200m – 28.73sec
Mitchell Davies – 14 Years Boys 100m – 12.35sec, Long Jump – 5.18m
Amos Maddison – 17 Years Boys – Discus – 31.31m, Shot Put – 12.32m
Rosie Neat – 18 Years Girls – Discus 21.28m
Kai Power – 12 Years Boys – 1500m – 6:50.96
Michellie Robins – 17 Years Girls – 200m – 30.68sec
Victoria Robinson – Para Athlete Girls – Shot Put – 5.61m
Ariel Sharp – 17 Years Girls – Long Jump – 4.63m
Gabriel Sharp – 15 Years Boys – Long Jump – 5.50m
Mya Terbeeke – 13 Years – 1500m – 6:21.45, Long Jump – 4.50m
Joshua Wolfenden – 18 Year Boys – 400m – 55.06sec

CSSA State X Country

Friday saw the annual running of the CSSA State X Country at the Sydney International Equestrian Centre. A team of 25 students represented the College well in cold and overcast conditions. Congratulations to Violent Burgum who placed 1st in the 14 Years Girls division – CSSA State Champion WELL DONE! She will go onto represent CSSA NSW at the NSW CIS Championships this week.

NSW CIS Representation

Congratulations to Holly Blowes and Georgia Hofman who where selected to represent NSW CIS in the Under 15 Girls AFL Team. The girls are away this week competing in cold and wet Albury.

Secondary Zone Football Gala Day

During Week 4 the Secondary Soccer Teams made the annual trip to Tamworth for the Hunter Christian Zone Sports Football Gala Day. All teams competed strongly throughout the day.

Under 15 Girls – placed 4th
Under 15 Boys – lost in hard-fought Semi-Final 2-0
Open Girls – finished 4th
Open Boys – despite not losing a game fished 3rd on goal difference.

Well done to all who attended for excellent sportsmanship and competitive spirit.

Creative News

Morton Music Awards

Belmont Christian College had the pleasure of hosting the Rotary Morton Music Awards this week, an event that showcased incredible talent from various Newcastle school students. We always love partnering with the Rotary Club, and this year’s event was no exception. The performances were truly inspiring, highlighting the amazing musical skills of each participant. Although unable to attend the evening, Alita King of Year 10 was nominated as a finalist, playing the violin. A special shout-out to our very own Corey Jones in Year 12, who played a crucial role in ensuring the event’s success by managing the sound and lighting, helping create a professional and enjoyable experience for both the performers and the audience.

Theatre Sports Competition

A few weeks ago, Belmont Christian College took two dynamic groups to the Theatre Sports Competition rounds held in Lake Munmorah. Our Senior group, comprising students from Year 11 and Year 12, delivered an array of entertaining performances. Although they narrowly missed advancing to the next round, their creativity and enthusiasm were truly commendable. Our Intermediate group, consisting of talented Year 9 and Year 10 students, showcased their remarkable improvisational skills and secured an impressive second place, earning them a spot in the Sydney rounds. In Sutherland, they continued to dazzle audiences with witty and character-filled performances, narrowly missing third place by a small margin. Special thanks to Mrs Irvine for escorting the girls to Sydney and to Mrs Stewart for her dedicated coaching and support in preparing the students for this exciting event.

Parent/Carer Information and Support

The following activities and services are offered by external providers and may be beneficial to your family. These services focus on strengthening student wellbeing or academic capacity. While these services are not explicitly from a Christian worldview, they do provide insights based on human wisdom and evidence based research. However, personal discretion as to whether these services align with your own beliefs will be required. Such services are NOT fully endorsed by the College, but are made available for families to make their own judgement and decision.

Championing young people in a digital age with Daniel Principe

Daniel Principe

Championing Young People in a Digital World
A community event for parents, carers and educators

Tuesday, June 11
7:00pm to 8:30pm

The Grove, 130 Garden Grove Parade, Adamstown
Free entry | Tea and coffee provided

Daniel has spoken with more than 55,000 students, teachers and parents across the country on the issues of consent, healthy relationships and navigating adolescence in a digital world. He is passionate about championing boys to challenge culture and live courageous, respectful and empathetic lives.

Daniel is also a board member of the DART Institute and an ambassador for the Women’s Resilience Centre and the national Consent Can’t Wait campaign.

This event is open to any interested parents, carers and educators, so please feel welcome to share the details with others in your network and neighbourhood.

A message from Daniel:
“Young people today are navigating a distracted, digital world. From hyper-sexualised content to toxic influencers, these online forces sometimes cause young people to act out in harmful ways towards themselves and others.”

“Amid these challenges, we also know that youth are capable of living courageously, leading lives of empathy, respect and kindness. But they need our help to sensitively unpack the messages around them. Grounded in evidence, we will explore practical ways to equip our young people to become more aware of the people and ideas influencing their behaviour and growing identities.”

Good For Kids, Good For Life

Careers News

Griffith University Tertiary Preparation Workshop

Monday, 24 June – Friday, 28 June 2024

Get ahead of the audition process for Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University.

Tertiary Preparation Workshop (TPW) participants have the opportunity to learn more about requirements for tertiary entry, skills required for auditions and interviews, tools for enhancing executant skills, and theory and aural fundamentals. There will also be sessions on overcoming stage fright, warm-up methods, practicing effectively and introductions to tertiary courses – My Life as a Musician and Exploring Music.

TPW is open to students in years 9 – 12, and adults, who are considering auditioning for a tertiary music institution.

Parents and caregivers will also be given the opportunity to join Queensland Conservatorium Heads of Area as they discuss the Bachelor of Music degree and the future of the working life of a musician.

TPW 2024 Schedule

TPW 2024 includes practical sessions in the following:

Classical: Winds, Strings, Brass, Percussion, Guitar, Piano, Voice

Jazz: Winds, Strings, Brass, Percussion, Guitar, Piano, Voice

Popular Music: All Instruments and Voice

Composition: All genre

Important Information

Dates: Monday 24 June to Friday 28 June 2024

Venue: Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University, 140 Grey Street, South Brisbane

Fees: $515 incl GST

Schedule: 2024 Program Information

Contact: open-conservatorium@griffith.edu.au for more information.

REGISTER NOW

2024 Apprenticeship/Traineeship & Jobs Expos

Central Coast Apprenticeship/Traineeship & Jobs Expo
Tuesday, 13 August 2024 – 3pm to 7pm
Mingara Recreation Club, 12/14 Mingara Dr, Tumbi Umbi NSW

Newcastle & Hunter Apprenticeship/Traineeship & Jobs Expo
Tuesday 20, August 2024 – 3pm to 7pm
NEX – Newcastle Exhibition & Convention Centre, 309 King St, Newcastle West NSW

Fundraising with Entertainment Book

Entertainment Book Available Now

Support a cause that’s meaningful to you by purchasing a Membership to The Entertainment App and receive a bonus extension of up to four months!

Purchase a 12 or 24 month Single City Membership and receive a bonus two months.

Purchase a 12 or 24 month Multi City Membership and receive a bonus four months.

20% of each Membership purchase will go directly to your chosen Fundraiser.

Entertainment Memberships are now 100% digital. Saying goodbye to the iconic Book wasn’t easy but the new Entertainment Memberships start anytime and are valid for 12 months from activation. Packed with thousands of substantial savings to delight and inspire, an Entertainment Membership is your pass to exclusive offers and quality experiences, activities and benefits. The digital membership is easy to download to start using instantly. New offers are added weekly for ongoing value all year round.

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