Newsletter

Merry Christmas

As we embrace the festive spirit, I extend warm wishes to each and every one of you for a restful break and a Christ-centred celebration. As we bid farewell to 2023, it is a time to reflect on the year gone by and anticipate the promise of the New Year.

In the midst of all the world’s turmoil, God remains in control. His grace and power have never been diminished by pandemics, floods, wars or cost of living pressures, as overwhelming as events in our world may seem. When we reflect at Christmas on God’s enormous power, we see the baby in a manger; all the might of God entering our world in the humblest of ways. But the manger scene is not just a lovely picture for Christmas cards, it is the hope for the world; that God who created all things should come in human form to redeem his people. It is the ultimate symbol of God’s grace. 

I pray that this Christmas season brings you solace and encouragement as you reflect on the love that has been poured out on the world in sending Jesus as our saviour: Immanuel – God with us.

Farewell

As we approach the close of the year, it is with mixed emotions that we bid farewell to valued members of our staff. Each one has played a vital role in shaping our College community, and I would like to take the opportunity to both thank and farewell:

• Miss Ciara Atherton – Learning Enrichment Aide – 1 year
• Mr Gavin Carter – TAS Aide – 1 year
• Mr Jonathan Morrison – Primary Teacher – 1 year
• Mrs Emily Cooper – English Maternity Leave – 1 year
• Mrs Julia Tibbs – Learning Enrichment Aide – 1.5 years
• Mr Joel Procter – Music – 2 years
• Mrs Bronwyn Moulds – Counsellor – 3.5 years
• Mr Mitch Forbes – Chaplain – 5 Years
• Mr Paul Hendricks – English Curriculum Leader – 6.5 years
• Mr Ian Brown – Maths Teacher – 26 years

The above members of staff on the whole, are pursuing a new direction or path and I wish them God’s best as they take this next step. I also wish Emily Cooper God’s blessing as she takes maternity leave to start her family. Special mention goes to Ian Brown, who has dedicated an impressive 26 years to our College and to Kingdom Education. We express our deepest appreciation for his leadership and commitment to making mathematics an enjoyable experience for our students. We are thrilled to announce that Ian will remain connected to the College through our Strategic Partnerships, offering a Maths tutoring service. May God continue to bless the work of his hands.

Thank you for being an integral part of our community. As we celebrate the birth of Jesus, the Christ child, may the coming New Year be filled with His peace, love, and joy. Your continued support and presence are essential to our College community.

Sharon Sopher
Principal

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. New families and staff to the College

2. End of Year Festival

3. New Deputy starting in Term 2, 2024

4. Students and staff finishing the year well

5. Safety and fun at end of year activities

Praise points:

1. Year 12 formal

2. New families and staff to the College

3. Christmas and the Christmas holidays with time to refresh, reflect and restore after a full year

Upcoming Important Dates

Primary

01.12.23 | Year 6 Revolution Excursion
29.01.24 | First Day Beginners, Year 1-6
31.01.24 | First Day Kindergarten
06.02.24 | Primary Swimming Carnival

Secondary

29.01.24 | First Day Year 7, 11 & 12
30.01.24 | First Day Year 8-10
02.02.24 | Secondary Swimming Carnival

Whole College

05.12.23 | BCC End of Year Festival – A celebration of learning and community
07.12.23 | Last day Students
8.12.23-29.01.24 | BCC School Holidays

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.

A Celebration of Learning & Community

Attention all Primary School parents and carers!

We are currently gathering feedback from our Primary School parents regarding a new program we plan to launch in early 2024, known as ‘BCC Grade Parents‘. 

In summary, the BCC Grade Parents program is designed to provide BCC parents with an official opportunity to support the grade that their child currently resides in, working alongside the College. As a start, each Primary School class would have one BCC Grade Parent representative, for a total of either two or three BCC Grade Parents per grade, depending on how many classes there are in that particular year. 

BCC Grade Parents would work closely with myself in my role as Director of Mission & Community for the year in question. Where appropriate, we would be in contact with the classroom teacher. 

Examples of what it may look like to be a BCC Grade Parent in the day-to-day includes, but is not limited to:

– Alongside staff, support and welcome new families into the College

– Help support the College with any big announcements and getting the ‘word around’.

– Meet up with other BCC Grade Parents in your child’s year, acting as a conduit to families in that grade

– Possibly organise dinner or lunch outings with other grade families a few times each year, especially as a new year commences

– Alongside the College, help organise crisis support food rosters as necessary and direct families from your child’s grade towards our BCC Community Hardship Fund

– Within your child’s grade, advocate parent attendance at College events such as the End of Year Festival, Musical, Rise Up etc.

– Get involved and help build the team with parent organised College events e.g. Primary School Disco

– When encouraged, ‘rally the troops’ to serve across the College e.g. book laminating, exam support, musical support etc.

– Where appropriate, share prayer points relevant to the grade in question with our College Prayer Warriors team. prayerwarriors@bcc.nsw.edu.au

– Consider what it might look like to support and encourage participation in a grade based social media page e.g. Facebook

BCC Grade Parents will serve on an annual basis, ensuring the role is regularly shared around. BCC Grade Parents will gather onsite face to face with the Director of Mission and Community twice per year in support of your role, and we will have a celebration morning tea to thank all BCC Grade Parents at the end of Term 4 each year.

Today is an open to invitation to all current Primary School parents in Beginners through to Year 5 to express their interest in this new BCC Grade Parent program for 2024. If the above interests you at all, please follow this LINK to indicate that you would like to be considered to become a BCC Grade Parent in 2024. Please note that our intention is to further grow the program into Secondary School once it has embedded into College life. 

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to pop them in the Expression of Interest form or email me directly at david.gray@bcc.nsw.edu.au

Getting to school by bus in 2024
Will your child be catching the bus to school next year? Applications are now open for a 2024 School Opal cards.  As it’s a busy time of year, we highly recommend you make this application before the end of this year. It’s also good to check the bus timetable to make your child’s journey to school as easy as possible. Here is how it works:

School Opal cards

• All students catching the bus in 2024 will need a School Opal card.
• Under the School Student Transport Scheme (SSTS), eligible students can apply for free or subsided travel between home and school.
• For more information about the SSTS and how to apply for a School Opal Card, visit https://apps.transport.nsw.gov.au/ssts/#/ from a desktop computer, and click ‘apply for a school travel pass’. 

Bus timetables
Busways is the school bus operator that runs your schools’ bus services. To find your child’s school bus timetable visit the Busways website by using the following steps:
1. Go to busways.com.au/nsw
2. Click on ‘school services’ in the navigation bar and then proceed to ‘school timetables’
3. Enter the school’s name in the field that says ‘enter a school name’
4. Select the school’s name and the timetable should open on your device.
5. If you are unable to find or search for the school’s name, use the drop-down menus on the same web page to find the school.
6. Once the timetable is opened, you will be able to identify which school bus services are available in your area for your child to use.

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.

We’re thrilled to announce Isabella McGhie, a standout Year 4 student at Belmont Christian College, secured the Runner-Up spot in the Hunter Young Business Mind Awards. Held on a lovely Wednesday evening, the event was a celebration of youthful innovation, connecting young minds like Isabella with industry leaders.

Isabella’s entry, recognised in the “Secondary & Under 25’s Innovation in Sustainability” category, beautifully echoes our commitment to fostering eco-conscious thinking. Her success isn’t just a nod to her creativity but a harmonious symphony of encouragement and support from our dedicated educators.

In its sixth year, these awards are more than a recognition; they’re a spotlight on the spark of creativity that sets our students apart. We applaud Isabella and all participants for their ingenuity and inventive solutions that paint our College with vibrant strokes of brilliance.

BCC HSC Drama Students Shine at OnSTAGE

We are thrilled to announce that three of our talented Year 12 HSC Drama students, Sophia Hart, Owen Irvine, and Hugh Brindley, received nominations for OnSTAGE — an incredible achievement for each nominee.

Although Sophia and Owen weren’t selected, we are elated to share that Hugh Brindley’s Individual Piece has been chosen for exhibition in the foyer of the prestigious Seymour Centre for OnSTAGE.

This accomplishment not only reflects Hugh’s exceptional talent and dedication but also highlights the creative nurturing provided by our Drama teacher, Mrs Naomi Stewart. Congratulations to Hugh and to all three students for their outstanding contributions to the world of Dramatic Arts. We eagerly anticipate the continued success of our budding performers and the lasting impact of their artistic endeavours.

Primary Junior Girls Basketball

After being Runners Up at Zone Basketball , our Junior Girls travelled to Penrith to take on the rest of the state at the NSW CSSA Basketball titles.

Although the girls have very minimal Basketball experience, they have trained well at school and formed quite a formidable side.

The girls had a fantastic day and represented us very well.

They won their 3 pool games, before coming up against a very strong Norwest side in the Semi-Final, who after defeating us, went on to win the event.

Congratulations girls on claiming 3rd place; an outstanding achievement for our side.

Primary Cricket State Champions

Our Primary team are NSW CSSA State Champions after defeating ACC Marsden Park in a very tight and tense final in Gosford last week.

Having already defeated Green Point, Northern Beaches and Pacific Hills, our side came into the final with confidence.

Belmont lost the toss and were asked to field first, a decision that the opposition quickly questioned with 3 wickets falling in the first 4 overs. ACC rallied though and with a few catches going to ground, the game started to even up. However 2 sharp runouts, including a direct hit from the boundary from Kai Power, followed by quick thinking stumping from wicket keeper Samuel Carter placed Belmont in a strong position. ACC all out for just 55 in the 20 over game.

The run chase from Belmont got off to a disastrous start with key batsmen Isaac King and Martin Hallin dismissed cheaply. They had scored the bulk of the runs in our previous wins. It would now be up to the rest of the team to step up to get the job done.

The run rate slowed right down and with the score at 6/41 with 7 overs to go, things were looking very shaky. Belmont had scored just 4 runs in the preceding 5 overs!  This is a 9-a-side game, so we had just 2 wickets remaining.

A late inclusion in the side, Jannie Badenhorst came together with captain Josiah Bell and the two of them held their nerve to put together an unbeaten 16 run partnership to see our side win the title with just 2 wickets and 13 balls to play.

Jannie would top score for the side with 9 not out.

A fantastic achievement for our side in a real team effort. Every single player over the 4 games played a key role and were called on at some point to make a significant contribution.

Congratulations to our side winning the 2023 Primary title for the 2nd time in our history. 

ACC Marsden Park 8/55 (J. Bell 3/17, M. Hallin 2/10) defeated by Belmont CC 6/58 (17.5 overs) J. Badenhorst 9*, K. Power 9 

PSSA Rugby Gala Day

Our Stage 3 Rugby Union team competed in the annual PSSA 7’s Gala day last Friday. More than 20 teams from all over the Hunter came together for this competition.

The boys faced some fierce competition throughout the day and finished with positive results, with quite a few of our team playing Rugby Union for the first time. 

The team represented the College exceptionally, showcasing great sportsmanship and respect. 

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. 

LEAP Year isn’t your ordinary gap year

At LEAP Year, our vision is to create a vibrant community of young adults who embrace their God-given potential, pursue excellence and make a positive difference in society. We understand the unique challenges and uncertainties you face as a young adult leaving school, and we’re here to bridge that gap by providing tailored pathways and expert mentoring that will see you flourish. We believe in preparing you for every aspect of life, both personally and professionally.

With LEAP Year, you will embark on a transformative journey that goes beyond a typical gap year experience. LEAP Year focuses on your growth and character development. With our comprehensive and diverse pathways, immersive experience and meaningful connections, we aim to cultivate well-rounded individuals who are confident, compassionate and fully-prepared to succeed after school.

Interest in finding out more head to https://www.spcc.nsw.edu.au/teaching-school/leap-year

NBA Basketball School Australia – upcoming December/January Holiday Camps 

I am delighted to advise that the NBA Basketball School Australia program has arrived in Newcastle.

The NBA Basketball School will be conducting its December 2023/January 2024 holiday camps from dual court modern facilities at Macquarie College, as follows:

Venue:  Macquarie College, Wallsend

December Camp 1:  11 to 15 December 2023 (ages 10+)

December Camp 2:  18 to 22 December 2023 (ages 10+)

January Camp 1:  15 to 19 January 2024 (ages 10+)

January Camp 2:  22 to 25 January 2024 (ages 10+)

Registrations are open NOW for all students.  Here are the links:

          December Camp 1

          December Camp 2

        January Camp 1

          January Camp 2

If you are interested, I encourage you to register as soon as possible, to ensure you do not miss out on a place.

For all the information, training times and camp schedules, access the above links or visit https://nbabasketballschool.com.au/

Christmas Celebration with Variety Children’s Charity

🎄 Join Us for our Annual Christmas Celebration with Variety Children’s Charity! 🎄

Variety – the Children’s Charity NSW/ACT is delighted to invite you to our annual Variety Kids Christmas Party!

When: Thursday, 7 December 2023
Time: 3pm– 7pm
Location: McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle

This year’s event will be the most magical one yet, filled with festive fun and exciting activities. Here’s a glimpse of what you can expect:

Quiet Hour (3-4 PM):
An exclusive hour dedicated to children with sensory processing issues, providing a calm and comfortable environment.
A visit from our gentle and understanding Quiet Santa.
Please note: Quiet hour is reserved for 100 kids maximum.

Christmas Party (4-7 PM):
Arts and Craft stations to let your creativity shine.
A visit from Santa himself.
Face and glitter painting to transform into your favourite holiday characters.
Inclusive sports for everyone to participate and have fun.
Stage entertainment that will keep you entertained and captivated.
Karaoke for those who love to sing their hearts out.
Amusements and roving characters to add to the festive atmosphere.
Plus, many more surprises and delights!

Tickets are limited, so please RSVP by Thursday, 23 November to secure your spot.

If you have any further questions, please feel free to reach out to Georgia Kelly at events@varietynsw.org.au.

Here at Variety, we are committed to ensuring that every child, regardless of ability or background, can experience the magic of the holiday season. We look forward to sharing this special day with you and creating cherished memories that will last a lifetime.

Warmest regards,

The Variety NSW/ACT Team

Career conversations at results time 

Career conversations at results time: Support your young person’s wellbeing and help them plan their next steps

Tuesday, 12 December 1:00pm (AEDT)

The end of the year can be an anxious time for senior Secondary students as they await their exam results, and also an anxious time for parents! Some will celebrate, some will be disappointed, and many will just be uncertain about what it all means.

Join us as Dr Michael Healy shares practical tips on how parents and carers, teachers, friends, and others can support young people to understand their results and plan their next steps accordingly. Learn how to help your young person recognise and manage their emotions at results time (both positive and negative), discover post-school pathway options for them to consider, and how they can make good career decisions and approach the next chapter of their journey with confidence. Register now: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/8455594496524133470?source=professional-associations

Newcastle Uni Info Day 2023

Join us on campus at our Info Day to get all your questions answered to kick start your uni journey!

If you have questions about studying in 2024 or didn’t quite get the marks you need, our Info Day is a chance to chat with our admissions and pathways teams to help you understand your adjusted ATAR and entry options.

Bring your mates and grab a free bite to eat, relax with some live music and talk to our team about degrees, changing preferences and alternative entry options.

You’ll also have the chance to take a tour of our beautiful campuses and chat with current students to find out what uni is really like.Our info sessions are held on the day that ATARs are released and prior to the close of change of preferences for consideration in the December Round 2 (15 December), so it’s perfect timing to get the advice you need to finalise your UAC application.

There’s a place for you at the University of Newcastle. We can’t wait to see you in 2024!

Event DetailsDate: Thursday, 14 December 2023

Times and Locations:

Callaghan – 10:00am – 1:00pm – Park on the HillNUspace – 10:00am – 1:00pm – Meet in foyer
Central Coast Clinical School (Gosford Campus) – 10:00am – 1:00pm – Meet in foyer
Ourimbah – 10:00am – 1:00pm – Library / Quad

Our Info Day is a drop-in style event, no registration required.

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