Our Year 8s Walked on Water last Friday … well not exactly. However, it is a good reminder to keep looking upwards and outwards. That was the disciple Peter’s (almost) fatal flaw – he began to look down. The end of the year is almost in sight. It is so important to keep looking ahead at that big long term goal and not to get too stuck on the nitty gritty of the day to day things. If we remember our big goals we have a better chance to stay on track.

Middle and Senior Awards Night

A few weeks into Term 4 (Week 5, Tuesday) we will be holding our Middle and Senior Awards Night. This is a corporate event and all students with their respective families are expected to attend. It is an opportunity to celebrate together as a community our achievements and recognise the various awards that our individual students will be receiving as well as a night where some of the best items of 2014 are showcased. It is great to acknowledge and encourage those students who stayed focused on that long-term goal – looking up and ahead.

Middle School Awards are given for the following:

Academic Awards – Gold and Silver. The Grade Point Average of each student’s subjects are calculated for the first 3 terms of this year. The top five students in each year level will be awarded with a Gold Award and the next top five academic students, will be awarded a Silver Award.

Diligence awards are presented to five students from each year level who have been nominated by their teachers for consistent effort and/or their outstanding improvement due to hard work.

GREAT Award is presented to five students from each year level who have been nominated by their teachers for displaying the characteristics and values that are our school’s GREAT Values.  These are: Godliness, Respect, Excellence, Attitude and Teachability

The Year 9 Dux is awarded to the highest academic achiever in Year 9 based on the the calculation of the Grade Point Average.

The Year 9 All Rounder is awarded to the student, nominated by teachers, who has demonstrated excellence across the academic, cultural and sporting spheres of the College.

The Principal’s Award, is presented to the Year 9 student who best exemplifies our GREAT values.

One of the most important aspects of this evening for Middle School, is the graduation of our Year 9s into senior school. It has been a pleasure to observe our Year 9s mature into thoughtful young people as the year has unfolded. At GCCC, we recognise and celebrate these young men and women through the milestone of ‘graduating’ them from Middle School at our Awards Night. All Year 9s will be on stage for this part of the evening.

Up and Coming Dates for Term 4

• Messy Games We will be starting Term 4 with a bit of fun on the Wednesday afternoon with the annual Messy Games, which is traditionally run by the Year 9 leaders.
• Middle School Experience Morning – if you have a child beginning Year 7 in 2015, there is an information morning on Friday, 17 October from 8.45am – 10.30. It will begin in the church with an info session for parents and students, followed by morning tea for the parents while students head off to some more specific info sessions. At 10.30, students will return to the church for a morning tea. New students can be collected to return to their own schools and GCCC Year 6s will return to regular classes. This is a great opportunity to learn about a range of Year 7 questions, meet some other parents and for our new students to get to know their teachers and new 2015 class members.
• Awards  Night – as mentioned above, this is a compulsory evening for our middle and senior families.

Looking ahead to 2015 start information

• Thursday 22 January        Student Administration Day. This is an opportunity for families and students to come to school to pick up textbooks, IT devices, check class lists, meet teachers, organise lockers etc.
• Tuesday 27 January          Year 7 Orientation Day
• Wednesday 28 January     First Day for Year 8 and 9