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:

• Remembrance Day Service Monday, 11 November: Pray for our College community as we gather for the Remembrance Day service. May it be a meaningful time to honour and reflect on those who served and sacrificed for our freedom.
• Year 7 Parent Information Night Tuesday, 12 November: Pray for the Year 7 Parent Information Night, that it will be a helpful and informative time for families as they prepare for the new school year.
• Year 7 & 9 Yearly exams: Pray for our students as they prepare for and undertake their yearly exams. May they be diligent in their studies and approach each exam with peace and confidence.
• Year 10 Work replacement: Pray for Year 10 students as they embark on work placement in Week 6. May this be a valuable learning experience that helps them grow in skills and confidence for their future careers.  
• Recruitment: Pray for the ongoing recruitment process as we seek to fill various positions over the next few weeks. Ask for God’s provision and that the hiring panel will be sensitive to His leading, choosing individuals who will best serve and support our College community.
• End of Year Festival & Graduation Events: Pray that as a College and community that we can bless each other in celebration and remain thankful to God for all he’s done for us through the year. Pray for God’s help in preparation for these many events and for safety and that each event should run smoothly.

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.

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

Primary

11.11.24 | CSSA Stage 3 Basketball
12.11.24 | NSW Schools Basketball Tournament
13.11.24 | Yr1 Tocal Excursion
18.11.24 | CSSA Stage 2 Basketball
20.11.24 | Kindergarten Edgeworth Trains Excursion
22.11.24 | Hunter PSSA Rugby 7’s
28.11.24 | Yr6 Graduation Dinner
29.11.24 | Beginners #1 Graduation

Secondary

12.11.24 | Year 7 Info Night
19.11.24 | Water Polo Gala Day
22.11.24 | Under 15s Super 8 Cricket Gala Day
25.11.24 – 26.11.24 | Yr10 Readiness Program and Big Day Out
26.11.24 | Yr12 Formal
27.11.24 | Yr10 Graduation Dinner

Whole College

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.

The Annual BCC End of Year Festival is fast approaching. Lock away in the diary Tuesday, 3 December from 5pm. 

Bring your camp chair and come along with all the family, including nana and pa, for a fun-filled evening and join us for:

Student Annual Award Assemblies
Live student & alumni performances
Museum walk of student projects
Drama performances
Science experiments
Parents & Friends Prayer Tent
Design & Technology & Art Projects
Picnic with family and friends
Face painting & balloon making
Art Gallery
Food trucks
Photo booth
Inflatables
Giant Lawn Games
Animal petting zoo
Silent Auction
Christmas Carols
On the night, we will be raising funds for our local charity partner, Belmont Community Care.

We wish to thank the following sponsors for their support.

On Tuesday, 12 November there will be a Year 7 Information Evening at 7pm. This information is for parents/carers to come along and hear from our Head of Secondary Mr Alex Cameron and Stage 4 Leader Mr Phil Melcum. You will receive a detailed Orientation Booklet on the night to help you and your child navigate the impending change into Year 7. This is a great opportunity to ask questions and meet other families. Please follow the signs when you arrive at the College.
  
Further, Year 6 students are invited to attend our Year 7 Student Orientation Day, to be held at the College on Monday, 25 November. This will give students an opportunity to experience Secondary School before the coming school year.
  
If you have any further questions, please don’t hesitate to contact the Stage 4 Leader at phil.melcum@bcc.nsw.edu.au

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.

Parents and carers, please assist our staff by ensuring that your children adhere to the College’s uniform policy. We are seeing too many girls wearing incorrect earrings, ribbons in their hair or other incorrect hair accessories Boys are not permitted to wear jewellery other than a watch, and girls are permitted to wear one ring, one set of earrings (see breakout) and a watch. 

Socks must be the College grey or white with the formal uniform. White sports socks (College logo) are to be worn with the PE/Sport uniform.

Secondary boys must tuck their shirts in at all times unless they have the all-season untuckable shirts. Girls’ skirts length must be 10cm from the knee. 

We were thrilled to host the Year 7 and Year 9 Maths Incursion on Friday, 25 October, where Inquisitive Minds delivered engaging and interactive Maths workshops.

The workshops focused on problems, patterns, pictures and puzzles to challenge and extend students while enhancing their problem-solving skills. Students participated in various hands-on activities that encourage teamwork and creativity. The atmosphere was electric as they tackled problems and shared their unique strategies.

Congratulations to all our winners! The workshops not only inspired students but also reinforced their understanding of mathematical concepts in a fun and engaging way. We look forward to more events like this in the future!

Year 7 Winners: 
1st Place: Kai Lafferre & Johannes Lombard
2nd Place: Charlotte Campbell & Emily Hassall
3rd Place: Ellie Boyce & David Cossgrove

Year 9 Winners: 
1st Place: Myles Black & Mace Carter
2nd Place: Alexandra Robinson & Abbigail Kidd  
3rd Place: Zack Lunnon & Gabe Sharp
4th Place: Lachlan Thorpe & Charlie Holden

Last week we recognised our new student leaders at the Secondary assembly and congratulated the leaders for their service in 2024.

The student leader application process involves a written submission and an interview process. 

Congratulations to all student leaders and thank you for your service to BCC.

Belmont Christian College is through to the Primary NSW CSSA State Cricket finals, a competition that our College won last year.

Our team travelled to Singleton to play in our Zone competition against two other schools.
The first game of the day saw us in the field against Green Point. Some wayward bowling and dropped catches saw Green Point finish with a respectable 3/75 off their 15 overs.
BCC was in early trouble with the bat, struggling at 4/19 after five overs. Samuel Carter and Harvey Batchelor steadied the ship, with a 34 run partnership that set up an exciting finish. When Harvey was bowled for 11, Jannie Badenhorst came in and along with Sam, the boys hit the winning runs with eight balls to spare.

BCC 5/77 (S. Carter 24no, H. Batchelor 11, J. Badenhorst 9no) def GPCC 3/75 (J. Bell 1/6, G. Wilson 1/12)

The second game saw BCC take on Carinya Tamworth. This time, the bowling from our side was a little tighter and the catches were held, including a spectacular take from wicketkeeper Samuel Carter, which restricted the opposition to be all out for 40 off 10 overs.
Opening batsmen James MacDougall and George Wilson shared a 31 run partnership, with BCC cruising to finish 1/43, booking their place in the NSW final next month.

BCC 1/43  (J.MacDougall 13no, G. Wilson 11) def Carinya Tamworth 40 (J.MacDougall 2/6, J. Hassall 2/8)

Just to get to a PSSA Carnival is an outstanding achievement. This year we had our Junior Girls 4x100m relay team, Jade Reeves, and Mia Porter all reaching this level to compete against the best that NSW has to offer.
 
Jade competed in five events in Open Multiclass and set a Personal Best in the 200m. She also competed in 100m, Shot Put, Long Jump and Discus.
 
Mia finished in the top 25 in the State in the Junior Girls 200m, in an exceptionally fast event where the NSW record was broken.
 
The Junior Girls Relay team, made up of Macey Offereins, Eva Myers, Skye Porter and Mia Porter continued their outstanding form by winning their heat and qualifying for the final with the 7th fastest time from the 40 teams competing. Less than one second separated 8 of the 9 teams to race the final. The girls finished in a very credible 6th place in a thrilling final, just over one second behind 3rd place.

It was a very warm day of cricket out at Blackalls Park for some of our Year 5 and 6 students last Wednesday for the Zone Cricket Blast day. Most of these students were taking the opportunity to represent Belmont Christian College in a sporting event for the first time.
 
They bowled, batted and fielded against various schools in social cricket games and had a great day out in the sun.
 
Cricket was certainly the winner! Well done to our students who represented us well and ensured that everyone had a fun day.

The uniform shop will be extending their hours after school finishes for the term for appointments only.
 
Tuesday, 10 December: 1:00pm-3:30pm
Wednesday, 11 December: 1:00pm-3:30pm
Thursday, 12 December: 8am-11am
 
If your child needs to try uniforms on, please make a booking online for an appointment.

Parents play a vital role in their students successful transition from school to higher education. We understand that choosing where and what to study can be a daunting and stressful decision – not just for school leavers, but parents too.

The ICMS Parents Information Evening is an opportunity to support parents as they navigate the complex tertiary admissions process.

Some of the content that will be covered includes:
 
• The Application Process: learn about the complex Universities Admission Centre (UAC) preference process.
• Key Dates: a summary of the key dates and entry requirements for 2025  applicants.
• Fees: gain an understanding of  FEE-HELP, High Academic Places, eCAF and other tuition fee-related options.
• Teaching Methods: our Dean will explain our authentic, industry-driven, assessment-based teaching methods.
• Industry Training: find out how ICMS can offer 100% of degree students professional placements through our Work Integrated Learning (WIL) program.
• Student Story: listen to a current student share why she believes the ICMS community and support is unique.
• Parent Perspective: one of our current parents will share their perspective on how and why they made the choice to study at ICMS.
• Mingle and Chat: faculty will be there to chat about specific degree course structure and subjects.

Drinks and canapés will be served from 5:30pm onwards. The evening takes the format of a sit-down presentation, which will begin at 6:00pm sharp and presentations will be followed by Q & A time.

Date: Friday, 21 November 2024
Time: 5:30pm to 7:30pm
Location: ICMS Campus, 151 Darley Road, Manly, NSW

Construction Trade Scholarships 2025 – 2026

The University of Newcastle’s School of Law and Justice invites class of 2024 Year 11 & Year 12 students, teachers and parents to attend their Law Insights evening.
 
The evening is an invaluable experience, allowing students to hear first-hand about the Law degree on offer at the University of Newcastle.  
 
Students will be able to hear from, and speak with, academic staff and current students from the School of Law and Justice. Students will also learn about our Legal Centre.
 
This is an excellent opportunity for students to ask any questions they might have about the Bachelor of Laws (Honours) program.  
  
Location: NUspace (City Campus)  
Time: 5pm – 7pm  
Date: Wednesday, 13 November 2024 
 
Canapés and drinks will be provided.  
  
Register here  

HSC Kickstarter – Get HSC Tips and Tricks early

We know how overwhelming the HSC can be at all stages, which is why we have partnered with InspirationED to present a set of free seminars designed to handle stress and motivate students in the lead up to their HSC studies.

Here’s what’s on the agenda:  
• Practical tips to handle stress & motivation  
• Tried-and-true strategies to nail your HSC 
• HSC English help on how to achieve your best this year 
• A straightforward guide to understanding the ATAR 

For parents, we also have practical tips on how to support your child through the HSC. 

Why your students will love these sessions: 

Real Insights: Direct, actionable advice. In these 45-min sessions, we’ll share the best study strategies, exam techniques, and ways to stay on track during your HSC year/s.
  
Wisdom from the Experts: Our seminars feature expert HSC Markers and qualified counsellors ready to share their tips and years of experience.

We would like to invite you to join us as our guest for the next Looking Ahead event on Tuesday 19 November which will feature the Hon. Fiona Nash, Regional Education Commissioner. Commissioner Nash will speak about equitable access to education and ways to improve outcomes for people in regional areas.

Following the keynote, Fiona will also join a panel of experts, including your colleague Darren Ponman Principal of HSPA, to dive into improving equitable access to education for all.

Event details
What: Looking Ahead Lecture – with Hon Fiona Nash
Topic: Improving equitable access to education
When: 6pm on Tuesday 19 November
Where: The Conservatorium, Newcastle

Are you curious about how Artificial Intelligence (AI) is shaping our understanding of the human brain? What would happen if AI started to do your homework for you? Could AI be used to enhance your memory and cognitive flexibility? Join us for an exciting event where AI meets its maker at Newcastle City Hall.

Event Details
Date: Wednesday, 27 November
Time: Doors open 5:30pm, Conversation begins at 6:00 pm
Location: Concert Hall – Newcastle City Hall

Camp Australia are excited to invite you to two important upcoming webinars. These events focus on supporting children’s wellbeing and making key transitions easier for families.

Enhancing Your Child’s Social and Emotional Wellbeing

Presented by Dr. Kaylene Henderson – Child Psychiatrist, Parenting Expert, and Mum.

Date: Monday, 18 November
Time: 7:30pm

Dr. Henderson will provide practical tips to help families support their children’s emotional development and create a nurturing home environment.

Starting Big School Webinar

For families with children starting school next year, we also have the Tips for Transitioning to Big School webinar This session offers valuable advice to help parents prepare their child for this exciting milestone.

Date: Monday, 9 December
Time: 7:30 pm

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.

Support a cause that’s meaningful to you by purchasing a Membership to The Entertainment App.

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.

Benefits of the App include:

~ User-friendly: Instantly search and redeem offers or check out the Near Me tab to find offers, wherever you are.

~ Memberships start anytime: Flexible start date, Memberships are valid for 12 months from when you activate.

~ Multiple devices: You can still share your Membership with your family. Encourage your partner and kids to download the App so they can access valuable savings when out.

~ Convenient: The App means that as long as you have your phone, you have your Membership too (no more lugging around the book).

~ Easy gifting: We’ve made it simpler than ever to gift an Entertainment Membership – simply purchase from your chosen fundraiser and the gift Membership will be delivered instantly to your inbox.