Newsletter

Welcome back students! We have missed seeing you in person – the playground laughter, the friendly smiles and hellos, the chatter in the hallways and classroom, well maybe only some of the classroom chatter. It has been a long, long time and finally we are able to meet again in person. A cause for celebration.

I must admit though, I was fortunate enough to have spent the majority of Term 3 travelling our great continent in a camper-trailer with my wife. At times I felt a bit guilty as I walked around mask-less and free while I knew that the teachers and students were back in Newcastle in a long lockdown of restrictions and on-line learning. However, this feeling did not last long as I was lost in the beauty and richness of some amazing gorges, waterfalls and hot springs. What an amazing and beautiful country!

While travelling across the outback of Australia, and into some remote areas of The Northern Territory and Western Australia, I was very aware of the isolation that could be felt by those that lived there permanently. Food and supplies would be trucked in, yet some services and products were just simply not available, or were a long time in the waiting. There were times when we drove in a straight line for what seemed hundreds of kilometers and times when we didn’t pass another car for an hour or two. Running out of fuel or breaking down was a bit daunting, and although prepared, it was a constant worry when driving into a headwind that chewed through the fuel. Even though we were in some very remote areas of our land, I must admit that I never felt completely alone or isolated. I know that I had my wife and daughter and her husband there with me, but I know that I also had my Heavenly Father watching over us and I could talk to Jesus wherever and whenever. God promises us that He wont leave us, and is there for us, at all times, in every circumstance. There are lots of promises in the Bible that remind us that we are not only noticed by God, but He is watching over us and looking out for us. What a comforting promise to remember!

Psalm 32:8 – I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.

Psalm 121:8 – The Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.

Prayer over 2021 – a year of growth – for our community – in our personal lives, our spiritual walk, and in our expression of His love in and through our lives. And for a flourishing for our students in their endeavours…to His glory.

Prayer Points

~ HSC students and the completion of their schooling at BCC, and a positive closure to their education
~ HSC students to have good study habits and use their time wisely in the lead up to their final exams
~ The transition back to school for all students, parents and staff to go smoothly and seamlessly after lockdown
~ Students are able to get back to their routine and prepare for assessments in the coming weeks
~ Safety and protection for the BCC community against COVID-19
~ BCC community adjusts to the changes that are required due to COVID-19
~ We all remember that God is in control, and He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow.

Prayer Requests

In deeply challenging times such as these, we find our rest in the unchanging nature and faithfulness of our Heavenly Father.

As a Christian community we understand the significance and purpose of prayer. It is the heart-beat of our College. Together we boldly pray to our Father, through the work of His Son, in the power of the Spirit.

If you have a prayer request please complete the form here. We would love to pray for you specifically, and for your family, during this time of change.

‘We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express’ Romans 8:26b

Prayer Warriors

Parents are invited to join our prayer group on Mondays at 8:15am and Fridays at 2:15pm. Meeting at the College flag pole after signing in at the College office. However, due to current COVID-19 restrictions our meetings will be held via Zoom. For more information please contact Wendy Robinson wendy@wendyrobinson.com.au or phone 0409987939. Everyone is welcome to join in.

Current COVID-19 Regulations

As you know, COVID-19 continues to have an impact on our society, and so, maintaining the health and wellbeing of our students, staff and College community continues to be a priority for us all.

Our website will be kept up-to-date with the current COVID-19 regulations. Parents and caregivers will continue to receive all official communication via Skoolbag and email as well.

School Photo Day

School photographs have again been re-scheduled and pending COVID-19 restrictions will now be taken on Tuesday, 16th November 2021 for ALL students.

Please note a reminder of our Summer Formal Uniform requirements for the day:
~ Kindergarten – Year 6 boys are requested to wear short sleeved shirts.
~ Year 7 – 12 girls are requested to wear white striped socks, not stockings.
~ Year 11 and 12 must wear their shirts and blazers.
~ Hair needs to be off the face, tied back or up.
~ Plain surgical studs or sleepers and one watch only.

An envelope has been distributed to students. 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.

Orders can be placed securely online at www.advancedlife.com.au using our school’s unique 9 digit advanced order code: P5L NEY LXP. Portrait and group package orders are due on photo day. Should you wish to purchase a sibling photograph online, the order must be placed no later than 12th November. Sibling photographs will only be taken if an order has been placed.

Should you have any queries concerning school photographs or online ordering, please email to enquiries@advancedlife.com.au.

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

If you have any queries about the College uniform, make sure you visit our dedicated Uniform page on the College website. Alternatively, get in touch with our uniform partner, Alinta Apparel.

Online Orders Only

Due to current COVID-19 restrictions our Uniform Shop is required to operate online. Phone Fitting appointments can be booked through the Alinta website.

Updated Pricelist

Please find below a copy of the most recent pricelist.

Entertainment Book Available Now

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 (16 months if you take advantage of the Early Bird offer now).
• New offers automatically added: As soon as a new offer is available, you get access to it. No more waiting for the next print run!
• 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.

Welcome Back!

There was a certain buzz that filled the air as we welcomed all students back on-site over the past two weeks. Our youngest BCC students and brand new Year 12’s were first to return last week. There were many smiles, some trepidation, and a whole lot of laughter. We are so excited to have the entire College back together once more!

We continue to thank God for His provision throughout this difficult season. We also want to publicly recognise the commitment, effort, and resolve in which our parents supported their children throughout this season of remote learning. This truly is partnership in action, and as a College, we thank God for our BCC community. Looking forward to the learning opportunities in store for the rest of the year.

Creative Writing Competition

We are pleased to be running a Creative Writing Competition.  

~ It is open to all students from Years 5-12
~ Prizes will be awarded to the winner from each Stage
~ 10 House Points will be awarded for each entry and 50 House Points for the winner of each Stage 
~ Students must adhere to all the conditions listed on the flier below
~ Students must include their name and their house in the header of their document
~ Students must upload their story before Wednesday, 17th November (Stage 3 students can email entry to their classroom teacher). 

For further information please contact our English Coordinator, Mr Paul Hendriks at paul.hendriks@bcc.nsw.edu.au.

Canteen Now Open

Good news, our Canteen is now Open! For the remainder of Term 4, purchases will be online only, there will be no cash or EFT for over the counter purchases. Orders need to be placed by 8.40am. Click here for the Term 4 Menu.

Using MunchMonitor Online Ordering you can:
~ Place orders online up to 4 weeks in advance
~ Top-up your account online using VISA/MasterCard
~ List allergies to alert canteen staff
~ Order anytime using web browsers such as Chrome or Safari on your desktop, laptop, tablet or smart phone.
~ No sign-up fee
~ No transaction fee
~ Give your children Snack Money Allowance, Daily Allowance
~ Ban food items from the menu
~ View what your child has ordered

It only costs $ 3.65 (inc. GST) per school term for a family account.

How to Register with our Online Ordering System

Register with MunchMonitor

If you require further assistance call Munch Monitor on 1300 796 190 or email at help@munchmonitor.com. Our canteen staff are also happy to help and can contacted on 4922 8300 Ext #220 and canteen@bcc.nsw.edu.au.

Year 7 2022 Virtual Information Evening & Orientation

To support your child’s transition into Year 7, we would like to invite you to our Virtual Information Evening on Tuesday, 16th November, 2021 from 6:00pm. The night will run as follows:

First half of Virtual Information Evening – A LIVE YouTube Premiere from 6:00pm. A link will be sent to your nominated email address 48 hours prior to the evening commencing

Second half of Virtual Information Evening – Click here for a LIVE ZOOM Q&A session with staff, following the YouTube Premiere that will play from 6:00pm

Unfortunately, due to current COVID-19 rules and regulations, and our College’s ongoing commitment to always adhere to the NSW Health directives, advice from Christian Schools Australia (CSA) and Australian Independent Schools (AIS NSW), we find ourselves in a situation whereby we cannot run our planned Year 7 Orientation Morning in Term 4, 2021.

This is disappointing. Please know that if any updates or changes to this advice occur within the coming weeks, we will communicate accordingly.

Therefore the Orientation Morning for Year 7 2022 will now occur on Monday, 31st January, 2022. This is the first day of Term 1, 2022 and Year 7 students are to arrive at the normal school start time of 8:40am. Staff will be there on the day to direct them to the Orientation Morning accordingly.

KEY DATES FOR YOUR CALENDAR

Year 7 Parent ‘Virtual’ Information Evening – Tuesday, 16th November, 2021 – 6:00pm to 7:00pm. Link to be sent 48 hours prior to start time.

Year 7 Orientation Morning – Monday, 31st January, 2022 – 8:40am onwards. This is a normal school day.

In the meantime, if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us at college@bcc.nsw.edu.au

University of Technology Sydney – Parents 1-1 Consultations

Personalised 1-1 consultations for parents will be hosted on 23rd November and 14th December. This is an opportunity for parents to get their UTS questions answered on topics such as course content, admission requirements, student life, and more. Registrations are now open https://www.uts.edu.au/study/undergraduate/our-courses/find-right-course/events-and-info-sessions/parents-1-1-consultations-register-your-interest

Upcoming Webinars

OSHC provided by Camp Australia

Belmont Christian College are pleased to offer a Before and After School Care Program on site through Camp Australia. The service is available from 7.00am to 8.40am and 2.50pm to 6.00pm each school day.

Register, book and manage your before and after school care bookings at www.campaustralia.com.au or call the Customer Service Team on 1300 105 343. Further information is also available on our website https://bcc.nsw.edu.au/oshc/

2021 Presentation Night

Dear Parents and Caregivers, 

It is with sadness that once again, Presentation Night will have to be cancelled due to COVID-19. We will, however, celebrate student learning and achievement in a different format. Even though the year has been interrupted and our plans had to change, there is still much to celebrate at BCC. The growth in our student learning has continued and in fact, they have learned the art of resilience and flexibility like never before. I am very impressed with the growth in our students. As a whole, they have impressed us with their achievements in the classroom, the sporting field and on the stage. Many have grasped leadership opportunities to positively influence the student body, have demonstrated Christ-like characteristics and for that, I am very grateful. 

We will celebrate via our Presentation Awards page on our Website like we did last year. This page will be a great celebration of the many and varied gifts that God has given to our students. More information about this page will be released later in the year, where we will be able to celebrate together our students and their learning and achievements. 

Regards,
________________________________
Sharon Sopher
Principal

World Teachers’ Day

This Friday, 29th October we will be celebrating World Teachers’ Day at Belmont Christian College.

Once again this year, despite major, prolonged challenges, teachers (and parents/caregivers) ensured excellence in care-driven education kept on keeping on at BCC. The recent extended period of remote teaching and learning has again reinforced the significant role we all play in the lives of our children and our community.

Teachers at BCC will celebrate being part of a remarkable Christian community that has an enduringly robust partnership with parents and caregivers by coming together for an early morning coffee and treat before school starts on Friday. When we gather we will also be remembering with gratitude the awesome part our parents and carers played in making the learning opportunities happen, albeit under sometimes very trying circumstances!

When you get to have your morning cuppa on Friday, could you please remember your children’s teachers in prayer for God’s sustaining favour as we continue on to the completion of Term 4.

Thankyou!