Newsletter

I’ve had the privilege of working with our Secondary School Chapel Team. It has been wonderful to see our students step into leadership opportunities and use their God given gifts to serve our community.  

Our fortnightly Chapel services are an important part of our Secondary wellbeing and biblical program. This is an intentional space where our Secondary students meet together to unpack God’s word and its meaningful application for their lives.  

What are some of the benefits of Chapel?

• Chapel utilises the gifts and talents of our student groups, including our Prefect leaders, AV Team, Chapel Band and our Good Times Video Production Crew. 
• These groups are mentored by our Chaplain, Music Events Coordinator and the Prefect Coordinator.
• Chapels are structured thematically to help positively shape the culture of the College. This term our students have been focused on developing a ‘Culture of Kindness’, encouraging our students to emulate the love of Jesus to their friends and peers.
• For some of our students, Christian traditions and beliefs may be a new experience. Chapels allow students to become familiar with some of the practices the church has used from its inception to help people experience and know God, and be formed as his people. 
• Chapel works alongside our Biblical Literacy program which runs every Tuesday during Connect to support character and faith formation. We regularly meet together to open God’s word and explore the gospel’s implications for our lives.

What has happened this term in chapel? 

• Week 2: We looked at the importance of seeking mentors for support and encouragement. We also encouraged our senior students to be mentors to our younger students. 
• Week 4: We explored what kindness looks like in our society and how Jesus commands us to extend that to all people, even people who frustrate us. Students were reminded that God has placed us in community to serve Him and the people around us 
• Week 6: We discussed the ways in which Jesus used his power to serve others. Students were encouraged to think of ways that they could use their power (popularity, gifts, status) to help other people in our community. 
• Week 8: We recognised Harmony Day as a community and examined the gospel’s radical inclusion of all people. Students learnt that all people have irrefutable dignity and worth as image bearers of God.  
• Week 10: This will be our Easter Service. Our Chapel service will be a time of reflection, prayer and Bible reading where we remember Jesus’ redemptive sacrifice for humanity. 

It has been a huge term! The College would like to thank all our students who have been involved in the organisation and running of Chapel. If your child would like to be involved in one of our Secondary School Chapel teams, they can reach out to their Stage Leader for more information. 

We’d love to see more students grow in their skills and abilities, and to use their strengths for God, others and our community.

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 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:

Staff Recruitment: Thank the Lord  for successful recruitment of new staff members for 2024. May the Lord continue to bring skilled and compassionate individuals who will contribute positively to our school community.

BCC Learning and Wellbeing Values: Lift up our students and staff as they embrace the BCC learning and wellbeing values. Pray for every student to be engaged and growing academically and personally, and for our school to foster an environment where everyone feels connected, valued, and able to function well.

College Events: Pray for the smooth organisation and execution of upcoming college events as well as thankfulness for those which have recently happened such as Gala days, Camp days, Naplan, Cross Country, and Harmony Week celebrations. May these events promote unity, joy, and a sense of belonging among students and staff.

Secondary Assessments: Intercede for students undertaking secondary assessments in the next few weeks. Pray for clarity of mind, diligence in preparation, and peace amidst the pressures of exams.

Learning Enrichment Audit: Pray for wisdom and discernment for those involved in the Learning Enrichment audit. May their insights lead to effective strategies for enhancing the educational experience of our students.

Culture of Kindness and Wellbeing: Ask for God’s grace to cultivate a culture of kindness and prioritize the wellbeing of our students. Pray that acts of compassion and support would abound, fostering a nurturing environment for growth and learning.

Upcoming Important Dates

Primary

27.03.24 | Primary CIS Swimming
28.03.24 | Primary Easter Service
05.04.24 | 100 Days of Kindergarten
08.04.24 | Year 3 Sydney Zoo Excursion
29.04.24-01.05.24 | Year 6 Camp
09.05.24 | Primary Athletics Carnival

Secondary

26.03.24 | Secondary CSSA State Swimming Carnival
27.03.24 | Royal Easter Show Food Tech and Textiles Excursion
08.04.24-12.04.24 | Year 12 Half Yearly Exams
09.04.24-12.04.24 | Secondary Camp Week
22.05.24 | Primary Athletics Carnival

Whole College

29.03.24 | Good Friday Holiday
01.04.24 |Easter Monday Holiday
04.04.24 | CSSA State Biathlon & Triathlon
15.04.24-26.04.24 | School Holidays

SAVE THE DATE

TBC | Stage 5 & 6 Information Evening
08.05.24 | Mother’s Day Stall
10.05.24 | Kindergarten Mother’s Day Breakfast
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.

Our Kindergarten mums/carers are invited to join us on Friday, 10 May (Week 2/Term 2) to celebrate alongside staff at our Annual Kindergarten Mother’s Day Breakfast . We are excited to enjoy a relaxed breakfast with our Kindy mums and showcase our students talents with a special Kindy performance. Booking details will be shared shortly. For now, we encourage you to save the date.

It is at this time of year that many Year 12 students are considering what they will do for a holiday post HSC. There are many options on offer, and sometimes this can be tough for families to agree regarding the best way forward and the safest way to relax and enjoy their new found freedom. One option that you may wish to throw into the mix when discussing with your child is a short term mission trip in Vanuatu through Scripture Union NSW from the 22nd November to the 1st December, 2024. Cost is $2,490. 

More information and to register an expression of interest can be found at the following link:

https://sunsw.org.au/schoolies/

The College is aware of young people who have attended this trip and the feedback has been positive and deeply encouraging. It provides young Christians an opportunity to outwork their faith in action in new surroundings. The contact at Scripture Union, in case you wish to discuss it further, is Niki Mann and her details can be found at the link above. As an aside, the College is working towards a longer term partnership with the team from Scripture Union and commend this end of year program to you.

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 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.

Introducing…

Mrs Ruby Park – Secondary Teacher

Tell us about your photo.
I love flowers and cats. The smell of fresh flowers is amazing, and cuddling with my cats is one of my favourite things to do. It’s like being wrapped in a warm blanket of love and affection.

What church do you attend?
Hunter Bible Church

What church ministries excite you?
The worship team!

What makes you look forward to working at BCC?
The people and the kids!

Mrs Sarah Pearson – Primary Teacher

Tell us about your photo.
I love anything icecream!! I love a good gelato, or just eating from the tub…

What church do you attend?
Hunter Bible Church

What church ministries excite you?
Leading a bible study. Its a joy and encouragement being able to read the Bible regularly with a bunch of women from church.

What makes you look forward to working at BCC?
It is such a wonderful privilege to be able to share the gospel of Jesus with students and families.

Mrs Carol Durnin – Learning Enrichment Aide

Tell us about your photo.
I love a cuppa, either tea or coffee! With friends or to get to know some one more, sharing life, giving them support & showing them Gods love. I also love a cuddle with my fur baby Cookie or real puppy dog at home.

What church do you attend?
Grace Evangelical Church

What church ministries excite you?
Worship team, small group & connecting with people to encourage & support them & help them in their walk with Christ.

What makes you look forward to working at BCC?
Being surrounded & encouraged by brothers & sisters in Christ!

Primary Music Ensembles

The school administration is delighted to announce the initiation of Primary Ensembles for the year. For those yet unacquainted, the new Primary Music teacher is Kylie Newland. With a profound love for music and extensive experience in teaching and performance, Ms Newland eagerly anticipates collaborating with parents and carers to foster and celebrate music at BCC.

Parents and carers are encouraged to review the brochure containing comprehensive details for ensemble participation. Prompt enrolment, considering the imminent commencement, is kindly requested.

For any additional inquiries, please feel free to contact Ms Newland at kylie.newland@bcc.nsw.edu.au.

Year 11 Art Excursion

Year 11 Students were treated with a visit to the Museum of Art and Culture Lake Macquarie to view the First Class Exhibition. This Exhibition features works from students around Lake Macquarie including two of our Year 12 2023 Alumni.

Primary CSSA Swimming

16 students represented the College at Homebush 2 weeks ago in the NSW CSSA State Swimming Carnival.

The night carnival is a real test of strength and fatigue, particularly for our youngest swimmers.

Hunter Zone won the Carnival, with Belmont Christian College leading the Hunter Zone in points!

Our swimmers were amazing, with 9 students qualifying for the NSW CIS (Independent Schools) carnival next week.

Blair Gillon (12yr Boys) and Jade Reeves (Open Girls Multiclass) were named as Age Champions at the event. 

Congratulations to all of our swimmers and all the best for those going on to the next level!

Hunter Christian Zone Sports – Secondary Zone Swimming Carnival

The annual trip to Peninsula Leisure Centre, Woy Woy for the Secondary Hunter Christian Zone Sports Swim Carnival was attended by a strong team of 38 swimmers. All students competed well with the College coming 2nd Overall in the school point score and 1st in the Challenge Cup. Some outstanding results include:

Age Champions

15 Years Boys – Aleksander Gillion

16 Years Boys – Liam Boyce

Record Breakers

Aleksander Gillon

15 Years Boys 50 Freestyle, 50m Butterfly, 100 Freestyle, 50m Back Secondary   

Hunter Christain Zone Sports – Secondary Touchfootball Gala

Upper Reserve Wallsend lived up to the hype and conditions, it was hot in the sun and many games were hotly contested. Overall, all teams performed exceptionally well, with both the girls and boys Under 15s Teams winning their pools progressing into the Semi Finals. The Under 15s Girls lost 1-0 in very close match, the Under 15s Boys Semi Final finished in a draw and progressed into drop off where unfortunately they too went down in the third drop off segment.

The Open Girls finished equal 1st, but were relegated to 2nd overall on for and against, while the Open Boys finished in 3rd.

CSSA NSW Team Selections

Congratulations to the following students who have been selected to represent CSSA NSW in the following sports:

Willow Barry – Under 12 Girls Hockey Team

Joshua Culjack – Under 16 Boys Football Team

College – Cross Country Carnival

A fabulous day greeted us on Tuesday for our annual Cross Country Carnival. Students from Year 2 -12 ran, walked, skipped and sprinted their way over the course, with distances ranging from 2km to 6km.

A fantastic turnout from our parents were on hand to cheer our runners as they went around the course.

The top 4 from each race will go through to the NSW CSSA Cross Country, which will be held mid-way through next term at the International Equestrian Centre in Horsley Park.

Robinson swept the House competition in both the Primary and Secondary Schools, with a 5 point win in the Primary and 32 points in Secondary. 

Congratulations Robbo!!!

Congratulations also to the following Age Champions for 2024!

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. 

Good for kids good for life

Elevate Education Parent Webinar – Memory

Elevate Education will be hosting their next parent webinar on memory on March 27th.

Elevate works with our students, delivering high-impact workshops on study skills, motivation, wellbeing, and exam preparation. By tuning into their webinar series, you’ll learn how you can help support your child at home by reinforcing the skills they’re learning at school. 

Sign up for the session below to learn how you can help your child recall their syllabus content in an exam setting.  

How You Can Help Improve Your Child’s Memory

Wednesday 27th March 6:30-7:30pm (AEDT)

Click here to register for free 

Here’s what Elevate will be covering on the night:  

• Understanding how your child’s memory works
• Optimising your child’s environment for memorisation
• 3 practical memory techniques to use with your child this term 

 
We hope to see you there! 

Click here to register for free 

Setting up for HSC Success (Year 11 & 12) 

In 2024 we’re excited to be partnering with InspirationED to provide additional HSC support for Year 12 students. We invite Year 11 and 12 students and their families/carers to register and join us for our Setting up for HSC Success Webinar in March.

Embark on your HSC journey with confidence through our Strategies for HSC Success webinar, tailored for Year 11 and 12 students. Led by a Senior HSC Marker, this session delves into effective study techniques, exam hacks, and strategies for excelling in HSC assessment tasks. Whether you’re beginning your HSC preparations or seeking to enhance your performance, our webinar is your gateway to unlocking academic success with expert insights and practical advice.

Setting up for HSC Success (Year 11 & 12)
Time: 7pm-8:30pm
Date: Wednesday, 27 March

Register now

UCAT 2024 Registration is Now Open

Candidates taking the UCAT ANZ in 2024 for entry to universities in Australia and New Zealand in 2025 should note the following key dates. 

UCAT ANZ 2024 Key Dates 

PLEASE NOTE: UCAT registration is only via the UCAT ANZ website – ucat.edu.au

Universities and the UCAT Requirements

UCAT Format

Who is eligible to sit the UCAT?

The UCAT ANZ test is only available to a candidate whose educational level at the time of sitting the test is that they are undertaking or have completed the final year of secondary schooling, or higher. For example, candidates registering for UCAT ANZ 2024 should have completed, or plan to complete their final year of secondary schooling in 2024, that is, Year 12 in Australia or Year 13 in New Zealand.

Candidates are eligible to sit UCAT ANZ if they have commenced or completed an undergraduate degree. 
It is noted, however, that not all undergraduate degree programs for which UCAT ANZ is a prerequisite will offer places for non-school leavers. Candidates are advised to check the UCAT ANZ Consortium university websites for further information. 

Only a limited number of UCAT ANZ Consortium universities require international students to sit UCAT ANZ and, if so, it will only be required in specific circumstances. Candidates are advised to check the UCAT ANZ Consortium university websites for further information.                                         (Reference: Pearson VUE, 2024)

What’s on at NIE in April
Attention: Year 10, 11 and 12 Students
3 April 2024
For Teachers, Parents & Students
Free Webinar: UCAT & Pathways into Medicine Information Session 

REGISTER

6 April 2024 
Simulated UCAT Day
Intensive UCAT Training Workshop – Live Online Interactive

ENROL

20 – 21 April 2024
Headstart Medical Interview Training
Limited spots remaining

ENROL

Future Doctors Australia – 4 days Career in Medicine Program. Age: 14-18

Academic Insights – (Medicine, Engineering, Psychology, Veterinary Studies, Business Management, Creative Writing) – 11-day residential experience program. Age: 13-18

Complete UCAT Courses – various levels of preparation and options available to meet individual student needs.

UCAT Preparation Workshop – 5 UCAT sections covered + full mock exam + introduction to medical interviews.

Medical Interviews Workshop – lift your performance above the competition, validating your sincerity and burning positive lasting impressions into the minds of the selection panel.

University Admission Centre LIVE webinar for parents

The first LIVE webinar for the year is specifically designed for parents supporting their student’s journey to higher education. Parents will learn how to navigate the application process more efficiently so that they can confidently guide students towards their university dreams. They’ll receive valuable insights on course preferences, adjustment factors and selection ranks plus a detailed timeline of key dates. 

This UAC Digital event will be run from several platforms, including Easy Webinar (our preferred webinar service), Facebook and Instagram. 

• ATAR Calculation to Application: A Parent’s Roadmap to Uni Entry
• Date: Wednesday 27 March 2024
• Time: 6pm

REGISTER NOW: LIVE webinar for parent information

LIVE webinar for Year 12 students

Our expert speakers will equip students with the knowledge to make the most of their application and maximise their chances of success. Don’t miss this opportunity to get ahead with your university application. 

• ATAR to Uni Success: Applying to Uni with Ease
• Date: Wednesday 3 April 2024
• Time: 6pm

REGISTER NOW: LIVE webinar for Year 12 students

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 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.