Open Day 2015
Every year our Open Day seems to get bigger and better and 2015 was no exception.
This year we tried a couple of new ideas that seemed to work really well and are sure to become a regular feature at future Open Days.
The little red train was a huge hit with all ages and served its purpose in moving people around newly expanded campus as well as adding a bit of excitement to the day.
Another change was putting most of the Middle and Secondary Subject stands in the Library rather than in their own classrooms. This made it more convenient for visitors to learn about our subjects and it contributed to a great atmosphere in the Library.
Once again the best feature of our Open Day was our students. They worked hard in Hospitality,
Dance, Drama and Music performances, presenting work and, most importantly, leading visitors on College tours. These tours can last more than an hour and every year I hear how well our students carried out this vital role. This year was no different. Many students did non-stop tours for the whole four hours.
I am so proud of our students; their maturity and ability is a credit to themselves, to the College and, most of all, to their parents. Thank you to all the parents who picked up and dropped off children and to all the families who attended our Open Day.
We hold our Open Day for two reasons. The first is to attract new visitors but equally important to us is the second reason which is to provide an opportunity for our current families to visit classrooms, enjoy the student performances and to see the most recent changes to the campus. I am glad so many of you were able to attend on the day and hope you had a good time exploring the College.
The P and F did a marvellous job of the sausage sizzle and the savoury aroma drew visitors from far and wide. Fiyah Flavas wood fired pizza used the opportunity to raise funds by donating 20% of their profits to the Fiji Mission Trip. Our Tuckshop gave service with a smile and trialled a new fruit sorbet product which was such a hit that it will soon be added to the menu.
The Hospitality Department was kept busy with a steady stream of visitors enjoying the mini quiches, sausage rolls, chocolate slice and ginger cake. Grateful guests were able to make a donation to the Fiji Mission when they received their cake and coffee.
The Fiji Mission was also supported in the Interior Fashion and Textile classroom with students and visitors invited to make pencil cases. Thanks to generous donations of fabric bolts from Millhouse Collections and a box load of pencils and rulers inscribed with Scripture verses from Koorong, and $465 worth of stationery donations from United Office Choice, the filled pencil cases will make beautiful gifts for the under privileged children in Fiji.
Cybersafety
We hear a lot about cybersafety on the news and it can be a scary topic if you feel out of your depth with technology. However, you don’t need to be a technology expert to keep your children safe.
Online parenting skills are much the same as they are for any other parenting skill and it begins with communication. Talk with your children about the online games they play, websites they visit and social media they use.
If you don’t feel tech savvy, ask your children to explain to you how they use the internet and have them show you all the sites they visit.
Even though your children may seem to know more about the internet than you, they still require monitoring and guidance. Begin with a good computer filter and security software but don’t stop there.
Education and communication are also important in helping to keep your child safe online. The basic ‘stranger danger rules’ we teach our children from a young age are doubly important online – especially when they are using technology devices outside the home.
You can find the information you need to understand the risks and how to manage them with you child on the website www.cybersmart.gov.au. There are links and tips for parents and children of different age groups so take some time to visit this helpful site.
National Reconciliation Week
This week we raised the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flag in commemoration of Reconciliation Week.
The week began on 27 May as it marks the anniversary of Australia’s most successful referendum for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in 1967 which finally recognised them in the national census.
Reconciliation literally means ‘the restoration of friendly relations’ and the goal is to build stronger ties between communities. This is something worth commemorating and a good opportunity to remember that there is much more to do.
There are still significant gaps in health, finance, education and living standards between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and the rest of Australia. Not many of us are in politics but there are some things we all can do. We can teach our children to respect everyone, we can talk to our children about the history of the Aboriginal people and we can celebrate special events that are close to the heart of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.
Reconciliation Week is especially important to us as a College because it reminds us of another reconciliation which ‘restored friendly relations’. Our relationship with God was broken until Jesus Christ came into this world to die for our rebellion against God so that we could be friends with Him again.
Let’s celebration reconciliation in all its forms.
Mike Curtis, Principal