Newsletter

Our Wellbeing team has been developing a definition of wellbeing. Our desire has been to keep our definition child friendly, appropriate for Pre-K to Year 12 and inclusive of our whole College community. Informed by our Christian principles, we seek to see all students flourish by experiencing the “abundance and fullness of life” (John 10:10).

Belmont Christian College’s Definition of Wellbeing: 

“Wellbeing is CONNECTING well, FEELING well and FUNCTIONING well. 

Wellbeing refers to developing sustained personal, social, cultural, and spiritual connections. It is the healthy management and understanding of emotions, and the participation in play, work and study while navigating the ups and downs of life.”

Wellbeing is complex and multifaceted. It will involve a student’s relationships with the world around them, their emotions and their sense of purpose in their lives. The following three fictional scenarios demonstrate the impact of these aspects when they are not working and how the College would respond: 

1. Jeremy has close friendships with a group of boys. They are in the same soccer team outside of school, meet up regularly and often seen laughing together. They often banter with each other and joke around. However, lately, Jeremy has noticed that some of the jokes have gone too far and are often targeted. He is unsure how to talk about this with his friends. 

While Jeremy’s friendships are a potential protective factor for his wellbeing, his group is not connecting well with each other.At BCC, Jeremy and his friends would complete our PeaceWise course. Based on the Christian principle of being a peacemaker, students learn conflict resolution skills. These targeted restorative conversations would help them to seek forgiveness, mend harm and change behaviour. 

2. Alex is a highly capable academic student. Last year, he received excellent results across all their subjects. While Alex is still maintaining his grades, Alex has spoken to his Connect teacher and has confided that he feels flat and doesn’t feel motivated anymore.   

At our College, each child has a teacher or Connect teacher assigned to pastorally care for them. In Secondary, our Connect teachers are being trained in Mental Health First Aid and our Primary teachers are receiving training in Mental Health for Children. They are trained in listening, offering support and referring when necessary. We see the importance of ensuring that students are feeling well and getting support when they don’t. For Alex, their Connect teacher would talk to them about how they are feeling, make possible referrals and contact home to discuss with family. 

3. Year 11 student, Alice, wants to go to university to study architecture. She is highly motivated and has supportive friends and family. However, she is currently not receiving the results she is expecting. She finds study difficult, is sporadic and often does not know where to begin when she is at home. Alice feels frustrated and knows that she could be achieving stronger results if she knew how to study more effectively.

Although Alice has a loving family and supportive friends, she is not functioning well in her academic pursuits. This has a direct impact on her wellbeing, as she is not performing to the best of her God-given abilities within a community of learners. At our College, we strive to offer academic care to our students, to see students use their gifts well. This may include helping Alice construct a study timetable, organising student lead study groups, developing skills in revision, or providing routine feedback from drafts. 

By defining wellbeing as CONNECTING well, FEELING well and FUNCTIONING well, we hope to safeguard the flourishing of our students. We are seeking to care for the whole child and support them to live a life that God has called them to. 

If you would like to provide thoughts or ask questions about our definition, please reach out to nate.miller@bcc.nsw.edu.au or leoni.mcneill@bcc.nsw.edu.au 

BCC Prayer Warriors

This year 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 newly created 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:

1. Coins for Compassion

2. School holidays – that students might be safe and return well rested and focused for term 3

3. Health for the College community- with many families experiencing sickness there may be comfort and restoration

4. For the Year 12 students as they are coming into their last term of schooling

Prayer for HSC Students

It’s that time of year again when we ask people to volunteer to pray for the 2023 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 3 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 11 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

25.07.23-27.07.23 | Year 6 Camp – Canberra
25.07.23 | Year 3 Ninja Park Excursion
03.08.23 | Rise Up!

Secondary

27.07.23 | Boys Basket Ball Gala Day
27.07.23 | Girls Futsal Gala Day
24.08.23 | HSC Showcase

Whole College

30.06.23 | Coins for Compassion Day
01.07.23-23.07.23 | School Holidays

Save the date

01.09.23 | Primary School Disco
05.12.23 | BCC End of Year Festival – A celebration of learning and community

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 College is excited to officially announce the construction of a new Nature Playground for our K-2 students. The Nature Playground, a brainchild of some of our awesome BCC parents, will be built out on the front green near the new electronic sign. Development is expected to start early Term 3, 2023. 

You may have seen your child on our College social media feed recently get involved in the decision making process. As expected it looks like the water play equipment won the day, gaining the most interest from our little ones! 

Below is a rough sketch of the playgrounds concept design, and note that the final design may vary slightly on final completion. As an aside, the playground is going to need a name of sorts, so in the meantime, we encourage you to put your thinking caps on! We also look forward to welcoming parents and carers onsite at an official launch of the playground later this year once it has been constructed. 

On behalf of our children, parents and staff, thank you to our College Principal, Ms Sharon Sopher and Business Manager, Mr Bill Truscott for seeing the long term educational value in significant investments such as these. 

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.

Girls AFL

Our girls AFL side went into the Regional finals looking to defend their title from last year.

A tough game first up, with the girls getting some frustrating calls go against them saw the team go down 1, but they rallied to compete well for the rest of the day. 

Belmont only lost 1 game out of the 4, but unfortunately that was enough to see them eliminated from the competition. Being Runner Up at Regional level is still a fantastic result for a team with so few girls playing the game outside of school.

Well done Girls!

lost to St Catherines 12-29

def Eleebana PS 12-7

def Wirreanda PS 20-0

def St Benedicts 38-19

CSSA Girls Soccer

The Belmont Girls Soccer team travelled down to Western Sydney for the NSW CSSA Finals after winning the Zone competition a few weeks ago.

The girls had a fantastic day and went through the Pools undefeated.

They finished in 2nd place in Pool B and went through to the semi-finals where they battled it out. A last minute goal spelt heartbreak for our girls who finished in equal 3rd position overall.

A fantastic achievement and our best result in Primary Girls Soccer at CSSA level!

Belmont 1 drew Shire CC 1

Belmont 2 def Oxford Falls Grammar 1

Belmont 2 def Tyndale 0

Semi-Final – Inaburra 1 def Belmont 0

Aerobics

Our Aerobics teams have all qualified for Nationals on the Gold Coast later in the year after receiving medals at the NSW FISAF Aerobics competition on the weekend.

Our girls train so hard, twice a week and are showing fantastic progress with their routines.

– Abigail Kidd -1st

– Thunderbolts -1st

– Galaxy Girls -1st

– Fireflies – 2nd

– Super Stars – 2nd

Open Boys CSSA Football

After winning the Zone Gala Day in Tamworth, our BCC Open Boys Football team travelled down to Sydney to compete in the CSSA State Football Finals against the best Christian school teams in the state.

With temperatures not far above zero, our boys shook off the early morning frost with a commanding 1-0 win against Illawarra in the opening match. The next game was a tight 0-0 draw against Oxford Falls, with BCC unlucky not to score a few. The final pool match was a shoot-out for top spot against Tyndale. 1-0 down at half-time, the boys played a superb second half and earned a 1-1 draw, although BCC were clearly the dominant team.

Second place in the group meant we faced Mamre Anglican in the Semi-Final, a school who run their own football program and are the current title holders. BCC made a solid start and went 1-0 up, but Mamre controlled the ball well for the majority of the game and ran out 3-1 winners in the end. A performance full of character from BCC, however, who were the only team to score against Mamre on the day.

Congratulations to the boys who represented themselves, their families, BCC and Christ in an exemplary manner throughout the day!

THACCCSA Futsal Gala Day

On Wednesday, 14 June students participated in the THACCCSA Futsal Gala Day in Maitland. The 2 teams represented the College with great teamwork and intensity. The Junior Boys had mixed results on the day and bowed out in the pool rounds. The Senior Boys played exceptionally well and only lost one game all day. They went on to win the Grand Final by a convincing 3 – 0 scoreline. This is the second trophy the Senior Boys have won this term in football. Well done to all who participated!

Central Coast Schools Futsal Championships

An amazing day of Futsal skills were definitely on display last week with four of our Primary teams competing in the Central Coast Schools Futsal Championships.

It was a wonderfully successful day for each of our teams, with new skills learnt and tested. The Senior Boys, Senior Girls and Junior Girls all progressed out of their pools and into quarter finals and semifinals. Exciting and close games ended each teams progression. Thanks goes to one of our parent volunteers, Mr Freeman, who offered his Futsal expertise assisting and also coaching the Senior Boys team. All of our students were excellent representatives on the day, showing terrific sportsmanship at all times.

Secondary School Girls Basketball Gala Day

The THACCCSA Girls Basketball Gala Day showcased impressive performances from both the Senior and Junior Girls teams. The Senior Girls Div 1 and 2 were both Semi-Finalists, with nail-biting matches and fierce competition. In the Junior Girls category the Div 1 team were also Semi-Finalists displaying their skill and determination, while the Junior Girls Div 2 team secured an admirable third place in their pool and only narrowly missed the finals. It was an exhilarating day of Basketball talent, fair play, integrity, respect and ethical behaviour in sports. 

NSW All Schools Swimming Excellence

Congratulations to Aleks Gillion and Victoria Robinson who recently represented NSW CIS at the NSW All Schools Swimming Championships. Victoria achieved many PB’s on the day . Aleks placed 2nd in the 200m Butterfly which now means he off to All Schools Nationals!

2023 International Children’s Games – Lake Macquarie Representative

Congratulations to one of our super fish Aleks Gillion for being selected to represent Lake Macquarie at the 2023 International Childrens Games to be held during the July holidays in South Korea. He will be competing in the 50m, 100m and 200m Butterfly events.

Out of School Sporting Achievements

Congratulations to Amelia Kotze for her recent sporting success in the Moto Cross Competitions, she competed in the NSW Flat Track Titles placing 1st in Girls and 7th in the Boys class and the Australian Flat Track Titles placing 2nd in the Girls Class and 6th in the Boys Class. She has also been selected to represent NSW in the Australian Sidecar Titles.

BCC Parent in Para Athletics World Championships

Australia’s most decorated Paralympian and Belmont Christian College parent, Evan O’Hanlon, will compete at the Para Athletics World Championships in Paris over these school holidays.

Evan will chase his ninth world championship Gold Medal and 20th international medal overall.

He will compete in the T38 Men’s 100m, with the heats starting at 2:57am on 10 July (AEST) and the final on 11 July at 2:54am (AEST).

HSC Showcase

We are delighted to announce the highly anticipated HSC Showcase 2023, which will take place on Thursday, 24 August, from 6:30pm to 9:30pm. The event will be held in the College Library and the Hall, and promises to be an evening filled with artistic brilliance and exceptional talent.

The HSC Showcase will feature an extraordinary exhibition and performance of HSC Major Works across a diverse range of disciplines, including Drama, Design and Technology, Music, Software Design, Industrial Technology, and Visual Arts. This event serves as a platform for our graduating students to showcase their creativity, dedication, and hard work throughout their HSC journey.

Secondary School Musical

Celebrating the Success of the Musical: A Heartfelt Thank You

We want to extend our sincerest thanks to all involved for the tremendous effort and time dedicated to this year’s Secondary Musical. For family and friends who volunteered, your contributions have been invaluable and our students celebrated and appreciated each and every one of you. They may not have witnessed the countless hours and deep thought you put into the production, but they were genuinely proud of the amazing show that unfolded.

During the after-party, Heber delivered a speech that left us in awe. He beautifully articulated the underlying philosophy of Creative Arts at BCC. He emphasised the nurturing of a culture of safety within our musicals, enabling students to express themselves through singing, dancing, and acting. Heber also spoke about the confidence he has gained through the musicals, transforming him into the person he was meant to be. It was truly astounding.

Together, we have helped students grow, find a sense of community, have fun, make friends across year groups, and build unwavering confidence. We extend our heartfelt gratitude for your unwavering support and dedication.

A huge thank you to the sponsors of our Secondary Musical!

Our recent Secondary School Musical has been backed by a number of BCC family local businesses. What a privilege it is to partner alongside parents in such an amazing learning experience for our students. Sponsorships such as these enabled our Creative Arts team to produce a memorable show. In response, why not support these local businesses when you next make your way through the checkout! 

Primary School Reports and Week 10 Parent-Teacher Interviews

Week 10 of Term 2 and the Primary School Reporting process for Semester 1 is complete. However, learning continues with full force! Parents and Carers, thank you for your ongoing support of our students as they continue to engage with their learning.

Thank you also for your attendance at the Beginners to Year 6 Parent-Teacher Interviews this week. It is always an excellent opportunity to connect directly with your child’s teachers and discuss their learning progress. If you were unable to attend this week, we encourage you to contact your child’s classroom teacher to make an alternative time for a meeting. Remember, too, that your child’s wellbeing is imperative and can be discussed with your child’s teacher/s. We would like to remind you that Belmont Christian College has a number of support services available.

Thank you for your ongoing involvement in your child’s learning journey.

Student Academic Reports and Parent-Teacher Interviews

Teachers are finalising the assessment and reporting process for the Semester 1 Academic Reports that will be available on our Sentral Parent Portal/App at the end of Week 10 for Years 7 to 10.

Parents/Carers have the opportunity to meet with their child’s teacher to discuss their child’s Report progress or any concerns. Parent-Teacher Interviews are an important part of the communication between the College and home so we encourage your attendance.

Years 7 to 10 Parent-Teacher Interviews will be held face-to-face at the College on Tuesday, 1 August between 3.30pm and 8.30pm. To book please log in to the Sentral Parent Portal/App and select Parent-Teacher Interviews from the menu. Bookings will open at 9am on Friday 30th June and close on 28 July. If you cannot attend the allocated interview day, please contact your child’s teachers directly to make alternative arrangements.

If you have not registered or have trouble registering with the Sentral Parent Portal/App please email our IT Department sentral@bcc.nsw.edu.au.

The following activities and services are offered by external providers which 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. 

HSC Stress Less

Great Mates After School Program

With last round being an incredible success, we are now opening enrolments for the following round of ‘Great Mates’, which will be running from 27 July – 14 September!

Our ‘Great Mates’ program has focused on important topics all around masculinity, perseverance, emotional regulation, as well as several other key topics. Each week the boys have consistently turned up to The Place: Community Centre and contributed to these crucial conversations. With evidence supporting the importance of our program through surveys and personal anecdotes from the boys who participated as well as the parents – being apart of the Great Mates program will be incredibly beneficial for any young boys you may know between the ages of 12-16.

Christian schools are different. It’s this difference that is the reason why you choose to
send your children to Belmont Christian College.
Christian schools also make a difference. According to the Cardus Education Survey,
graduates of Christian schools:

● Feel better prepared to find meaning, purpose and direction in life
● Are more likely to volunteer with organisations that help the elderly and care
for the environment
● Are more likely to belong to a trade union or political party

This difference isn’t an accident. The gospel shapes our lives with an eternal purpose,
transforms our relationships and compels us to love our neighbours (and even our
enemies).
At the heart of this difference is the authentic faith of our teachers and staff. But some
“experts” don’t value this difference. They want to take away the ability of schools like
ours to be able to hire teachers and staff who not only believe but also live these life-
changing values.
In December, the Australian Law Reform Commission will be making some
recommendations to the Australian Government that could have big changes to the
future of our College.

www.mychristianschool.au

My Christian School is a new grassroots movement of Australians who believe in the
difference Christian schools make. Belmont Christian College is a part of this movement and your
help is needed to pass on this difference for future generations.
Please visit the My Christian School website and sign-up to show your support.
Together, we can preserve the precious difference of Christian schools.

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.

Uniform Shop closed during July School Holidays

The uniform shop will be closed during the July School Holidays. Any online orders will need to be placed first week of the holidays to allow for postage in the second week if needed before school returns in Term 3.

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.

~ 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.