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This year we have been very blessed to have many guests come and visit St Andrews Christian College for a range of reasons and purposes.
We continue to benefit from our partnership with Professor Lea Waters as we outwork our Visible Wellbeing framework at the College, and Lea has commented that she always feels very welcomed and ‘at home’ when she visits to deliver staff professional learning. We have been privileged to host nearly 40 Christian Principals, Deputy Principals, Heads of School and other leaders from Hong Kong as a part of their bi-annual study tour. We have hosted network meetings for school leaders from Christian schools to collaborate, share ideas and learn from each other. We often say here at St Andrews Christian College that ‘we want people to feel welcome and feel that they belong’. We feel blessed to welcome visitors and guests and express a spirit of generosity toward them through hospitality. We see this as a practical extension of honouring and bringing glory to God in all that we do.
When we do have visitors and guests come to the College, I am always interested to hear what their observations are of the culture. I am interested to understand their fresh perspective of what it is that they see, what they hear, and what they feel when they step through the gates. So often, I hear words such as warm, welcoming, calm, authentic, God-honouring, faith-filled. At the heart and essence of who we are as a College, we exist to be a community who brings glory to God in all we do and seek to know Him more every day.
With this in mind, we also see it as important to seek reflection and constructive feedback from our families, students and staff in order to ensure we are staying true to our mission, keeping our faith as our cornerstone and always seeking to glorify God through excellence and incremental improvement. For many years, the College has engaged the services of Vividus Marketing to engage our stakeholders in annual satisfaction surveys. These surveys provide the College with rich and valuable feedback that identifies areas that we are doing well and areas that we can improve. In our 2024 Vividus survey results, 92% of families expressed high levels of satisfaction with the College, and similarly 92% of parents feel that the College’s vision and mission are clearly stated and integrated into College life. This feedback is affirming to our desire to keep our mission and God’s calling central to who we are as a school and how that reflects in the day to day life of the College. As we embark on our 2025 Vividus survey window, I encourage all families to use this as an opportunity to provide valuable feedback which can support us to continue in our desire to grow, improve and glorify God.
Yours faithfully,
I have recently been reminded about the importance with grappling and leaning into adversity.
What have you been grappling with lately? Perhaps it’s a novel that you’re reading and needing to really concentrate on rather than swipe quickly, as we often do with many online devices. Or are you learning a new hobby or language? Regardless of the context, it’s valuable to recognise that it can be when we are finding something hard, or we need to grapple with it, that we learn. In a professional development conference recently, I was privileged to hear Professor John Hattie (Professor of Education and Director of the Melbourne Education Research Institute at the University of Melbourne) speak on the importance of grappling with adversity to push ourselves, and our students further.
In my day-to-day life at St Andrews, I see how this grappling can be of significant advantage to our students. I enjoy thoroughly each week the opportunity to engage with Year 6 students with their reading. Recently students have been learning how to run and lead Literature Circles. Through adopting different roles within the Literature Circle, students can grapple with their text in different ways to not only enhance their learning but also their communication skills, an important part of literacy learning.
The Vex Robotics students (under the leadership of Mr Brendan Hennessy) have also experienced the beginning of the competition season. To run and host a showcase competition early August in our MPH was a highlight of this Term and an opportunity to see the hard work and consistent approach of each student come to fruition. Whilst it was fantastic to see St Andrews win, the effort and adaptability of each student to work and collaborate was the most rewarding example of students facing competition under a pressured situation. Well done to all students and staff involved.
The recent Performing Arts events and concerts constantly inspire me in the way that each student comes together to produce an amazing outcome. Students have had to grapple with musical literacy, learn their individual parts, rehearse and refine and practise. Each student must listen to and read each other (like Vex Robotics or running a relay or connecting with a team member in sport) and then show bravery to perform in front of an audience. Finally, a sense of achievement and success in the final product. For many of these VCE students these concerts and events will be the final time that they perform together. Well done to all involved this term.
It has been a fast-paced term, action packed with Athletics Days, competitions, camps, excursions, Parent/Teacher and Student Learning Conferences. How blessed we are as a community to provide and create these wonderful learning opportunities for our students.
Last term I reminded you about the use of the College HUB app for communication with all families which can be downloaded onto your mobile phone. This continues to be the case for all communication, and I am pleased with the uptake from our community with the use of the HUB. These notifications are the key way to keep up to date with the comings and goings of students and events across the College and if you are unsure of how to download this app, please contact the IT department (adavis@standrews.vic.edu.au) for more information. You will very rarely receive an email communication for news items and updates, so please ensure that you are following the HUB to keep up to date.
Wearing correct uniform is an important part of school life and here are a few reminders for you as you prepare for Term 4. All students will be expected to wear a HAT when outside in Term 4. Please ensure that your young person has a HAT to wear for Day one of Term 4. Over the term break please check that your young person has uniforms that fit correctly and are ready for the beginning of Term 4. There will be a two-week transition period where students can wear either their winter or summer uniform (not a combination of both). After Week 2 of Term 4 all students will be expected to wear summer uniform.
Finally, I encourage you to have a conversation with your young person at home to lean into the concept of grappling in the upcoming Term 4 as these moments are generally the ones where we really grow.
I wish all students and families a restful holiday break and thank you for your continued support.
Warm regards,
In this issue of the College Newsletter, I want to continue unpacking the Learner Attribute section of our College Pedagogical Framework.
Our Learner Attributes identify the skills which students need to transition effectively into the world beyond school. The sixteen Learner Attributes have been grouped into four key areas: Engaging, Relating, Developing and Managing.
Engaging is about actively participating in our learning. It involves creating new ideas, analysing information, applying knowledge to real situations, and using our skills to make positive changes. Through engagement, we become active contributors to our own learning and the world around us.
Relating is about connecting with others effectively. It involves communicating clearly, working well in teams, listening actively, and understanding different perspectives. Through relating, we learn to interact positively with all people and build strong relationships.
This time, I want to focus on:
Developing focuses on growing our knowledge and thinking skills. It is about being curious, making connections between ideas, using logical reasoning, and gaining deep understanding. By developing these skills, we become more effective learners and thinkers.
Developing, which encompasses the learner attributes of Questioning, Connecting, Reasoning and Understanding, helps to prepare students for lifelong success by nurturing their natural curiosity and building essential thinking skills. When students actively question, connect ideas, reason logically, and seek deep understanding, they become confident, independent learners who can thrive in our rapidly changing world. When students develop these attributes, they become self-directed learners who can transfer knowledge to new situations, analyse information carefully and form well-reasoned arguments. Collectively, this leads to meaningful, long-lasting learning that extends far beyond the classroom.
From a Biblical perspective, these attributes reflect God’s design for human learning. In Proverbs 2:2 we are encouraged to “turn our ear to wisdom and apply our heart to understanding.” Similarly, Proverbs 18:15 reminds us that "The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge, for the ears of the wise seek it out" – perfectly capturing the essence of developing curious, thinking learners.
As a College, we are encouraged daily as we see our students developing in their learning and becoming the people who God has made them to be.
Developing
Developing focuses on growing our knowledge and thinking skills. It is about being curious, making connections between ideas, using logical reasoning, and gaining deep understanding. By developing these skills, we become more effective learners and thinkers.
On the 12th of August, St Andrews Christian College proudly hosted a blended VEX Tournament, with four VEX IQ and four VEX V5 teams competing. After some fierce competition, three of our VEX V5 teams claimed awards, including the Tournament Champion title!
In the VEX IQ division, our primary teams 3477F and 3477H shone, both finishing in the top six, with our newest Year 5 team taking an impressive second place in the finals.
Well done to all our students on an exceptional effort!
A group comprising seven students from Year 7 and Year 8 competed in the Tournament of Minds - a worldwide competition that focusses on teamwork, creativity and presentation skills. Despite several setbacks in their preparation time, the team were able to pull together a great presentation and provide a creative solution to the long-term challenge. Teams were also challenged with a short, unseen question and were judged on creativity and flexibility of thinking, teamwork and brainstorming as well as the originality of their final solution. Congratulations to Year 7 students Ellie Chong, Chloe Law, Lucas Li, Shiphrah Wang, Elliott Wong and Isabella Yin, and Year 8 student Calamus Chan, for representing the College so well in the competition.
Term 3 has been an eventful term, filled with Student Support Group meetings, excursions, camps and so much more! We said a heartfelt farewell Dina Christou at the end of Term 2 and have welcomed Hailey Grigson to the Learning Support Team recently.
At St Andrews, we’re proud to have sixteen exceptional Learning Assistants, each bringing their own unique talents, strengths, and a deep passion for supporting our students. In Week 7, we celebrated Learning Assistant Appreciation Week with a special morning tea and invited staff throughout the week to share handwritten notes of gratitude, which were paired with a small gift to show our heartfelt thanks.
In early September, we hosted the ASD Parent Support Group meeting. It was a meaningful session focused on recognising and celebrating our children’s strengths, while also exploring the importance of letting go of preconceived expectations.
You can read the article here: Parenting the Neurodivergent Kids I Have.
Our last meeting for 2025 will be on Wednesday 22nd October at 9:15am. Our primary aim is to provide parents with the opportunity to connect with others facing the challenges of raising a child with autism. Everyone is welcome, and we look forward to seeing you there.
Learning Support is here to collaborate with staff, students, and parents on the journey of learning and development. The support provided will vary for each student, depending on their needs and the type of assistance required. Support will be available both in the classroom and, for some students, in a withdrawal setting. Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or concerns about your child.
Shirley Gillie – Head of Learning Support
sgillie@standrews.vic.edu.au
Fiona Porter – Learning Support Teacher – Primary
fporter@standrews.vic.edu.au
Kerryn Terrington – Learning Support Teacher – Secondary
kterrington@standrews.vic.edu.au
Term 3 has been a blast, and we can look back with thankfulness for God’s abundant blessings this term.
Primary events that have been real highlights included 100 Days of Prep, Athletics Day and Book Week with our annual reading picnics and dress up parade. This year we enjoyed Christian author, Simon Camilleri who shared from his story Read, Think, Pray, Do. Primary classes also engaged in workshopping stories and story writing. As part of our Book Week celebration, students donated and purchased books with a grand total of $400 going to support indigenous literacy in the Northern Territory. A huge thank you to all families that supported this venture.
Our Year 5s recently went on camp to Adekate Ballarat experiencing the excitement of the gold fields. Some even struck it rich gold panning at Sovereign Hill! As well as learning about this historical period, students participated in many challenge activities including archery, leap of faith, crate stack climb and hut building. Camps afford students many opportunities to personally challenge themselves as well as grow socially and we are proud of how well the Year 5 cohort engaged.
Further to these highlights, we have also enjoyed a couple of amazing Assemblies from Year 5 and Year 3. Both year levels wowed everyone with their performances, and it was a blessing to share these occasions with our amazing parent community - we are thankful for your support.
In the final weeks of the term Primary will extend their learning of God’s universe with Enrichment Week. This semester our focus is on the sciences and mathematics. Kerryn Terrington is leading this venture, and we hope that students are challenged and prompted to think more deeply about God’s amazing world. A bonus of E3 week is the multi age groups which provide students with the opportunity to strengthening their connections across Primary.
Our prayers are with Emily Law who has taken maternity leave and is soon to welcome her third child. We also congratulate Naomi Su, a regular support to the Primary school, on the safe arrival of her second daughter, Elsie. May God bless your families.
Blessings,
Term 3 has been a very busy time for the library. In August, we had Book Week, which coincided with the announcement of The Children’s Book Council of Australia’s (CBCA) Book of the Year awards. The Primary School held a very successful Book Week Reading Picnic which was enjoyed by everyone. This year’s theme was “Book an adventure”.
The Picnic commenced with a Book character parade under the Dome and then moved into the MPH, where the author Simon Camilleri entertained everyone with his book Read, Think, Pray, Do. Students then selected a number of book readings to attend. Books were read by staff members from all sections of the school. In the afternoon, our guest author ran workshops for Years Prep – 2.
On Monday 4th August, our 2 Prep classes celebrated being at school for 100 Days. The children enjoyed dressing up as people who were 100 years old (!). There were lots of grey hair and quite a few walking sticks too. We made fairy bread (using 100s and 1000s), glasses, badges and necklaces with 100 beads. We did lots of activities celebrating this milestone in their school life. The Prep children have learned so much about God and His world during their 100 days of school and will continue their learning throughout their time at school.
The Prep classes are enjoying learning more new things for the last 2 weeks of Term 3! Farmer Linda from “Henny Penny” visited us on Monday and delivered an incubator, 12 fertilised eggs, a brooder box and 3 cute chicks. We will learn about life cycles, farm animals, animal needs and caring for animals. We will also learn by watching chickens hatch and holding chickens! Mr Haines visited our classroom and joined in with the fun too.
Term 3 has been an exciting and memorable time in Grade 1. We have learnt so much about the wonderful world that God has created and used our creativity and collaboration in projects, lessons and our time with our buddies. We have also had so much fun in our specialist classes.
Here are some of the memories that you can bank away in your time capsules!
In Grade 1, the Performing Arts theme for Term 3 has been ‘Let’s work together to put on a show!’ The students worked together to learn the short play, ‘The Little Red Hen’, in which the barnyard animals learn that ‘If we all work together, we can make something good!” In Music lessons, the students learned four songs and practised performing them with actions. In Drama lessons, they learned to memorise dialogue and speak with volume and expression, both as individuals and in groups. Students created costumes and props to use in their performance, and rehearsed under stage lights, using a set created by Year 9 Stagecraft students. In Week 8, students were excited to perform ‘The Little Red Hen’ for an encouraging audience of parents and friends. It was wonderful for students to have the opportunity to perform for an audience, and they can be proud of the way they worked together to present a final show.
From students to teachers we had a wonderful week celebrating book week. The highlight of the week was Thursday on 21st August when we engaged in reading picnics, the dress up parade, and a readers workshop with Simon Camilleri. 2P students enjoyed the magic tricks that Simon shared and our take away of READ, THINK. PRAY, DO.
READ a passage of the Bible, THINK about how you can apply it, PRAY to GOD and DO apply it!!.
We are so thankful for our new ways for learning and developing a great joy for books and reading.
Our visit to the Donvale Presbyterian Church on 28th August was successful. The students performed well and behaved well. They even mingled well with the elderly. We ended up singing happy birthday to one the church members and in turn one of them read us a poem about St Andrews!
This term, our Grade 5 students embarked on an adventure at Adekate Camp! Students embraced nature and challenged themselves through a variety of exciting activities including the zipline, leap of faith, orienteering, archery, hut building, and making damper over an open fire. These hands-on experiences encouraged teamwork and resilience, while also providing plenty of fun and laughter.
As part of our camp experience, we also visited Sovereign Hill in Ballarat, where students stepped back in time to explore life during the gold rush. They toured an underground mine, panned for gold, and participated in a range of engaging educational activities, deepening their understanding of Australia’s history in a fun and interactive way. It was a fantastic week of learning, bonding, and making memories!
On Thursday 28th August, the Year 6 students ventured on their much-anticipated excursion to the MCG. They had a fantastic time exploring the Australian Sports Museum, where they discovered Australia’s rich sporting history and tested their skills in the interactive Game On area.
One of the highlights of the day was an insightful and engaging tour of the MCG. Students were excited to explore behind the scenes, visiting the media room, the changerooms, and even stepping onto the famous MCG turf.
The students were also privileged to hear from Jenny Donnet, an Olympian who made history as the first Australian woman to compete at four Olympic Games. Jenny shared valuable lessons from her journey as an elite athlete, encouraging the students to always give their best in whatever they do in life.
We are especially thankful to God that the rain held off, enabling everyone to enjoy lunch and have time chatting and playing with their friends.
We had a wonderful week investigating and ‘Unveiling the Cosmic Story’. Year 4 to 6 students had the opportunity attend workshops on Monday to Wednesday around the themes of geometry, measurement, engineering, chemistry, buoyancy, astronomy, and tessellations. A huge thanks goes to our teachers for making the workshops so engaging and interesting for the students.
Year 1 to 3 students had similar opportunities on Thursday and Friday, when they had their workshops.
Selected students were also invited to a full day of workshops in the GATEways Ignite incursion on Tuesday. Year 1 to 3 students started the day with a Mission to Mars, designing a landing module and learning about adapting engineering principles in order to survive. In the afternoon, they moved to the maths workshop where they were challenged with a variety of maths puzzles and even had a go at designing their own. The year 4 to 6 group started with a maths tessellations challenge based on the work of Escher, where they produced some interesting variations on tessellations. For the afternoon they switched to the science-based workshop and worked on overcoming various challenges in their scenario. Both presenters were very impressed with the teamwork, cooperation and enthusiasm displayed by our students and everyone had a great day of learning.
As Term 3 draws to a close, we reflect on a vibrant and eventful few months filled with academic achievements, creative expression, and community spirit. Our students had opportunities to build their resilience and develop life-long skills through activities such as camps, athletic carnivals and co-curricular activities. It is exciting to see such a vibrant school community in which students are able to have a wide variety of experiences to help their development as people. We truly believe that God makes each one of our students unique and give them their own strengths and gifts and it is our pleasure as a team of staff at the Secondary School and to help our students continue to grow.
A key highlight for each year level is the Year Level Camps. This term our Year 9s had the opportunity to experience the Northern Territory on a 13-day trip from Uluru to Darwin. Students experienced new and different cultures and saw beautiful natural wonders as they slept in tents and camped along the way. Camps like the Central Australia Camp allows students to challenge themselves—having to be away from home and being in new environments—building resilience and creating shared memories to last a lifetime.
Other activities students were able to participate in outside of the academic curriculum include sport, VEX Robotics, competitions, Music Ensembles and many more. It is a pleasure of mine to be at a school where our students have a diverse range of opportunities to pursue their passions; all in the context of Christian Education where we aim to achieve excellence in all we do in order to give, as the motto of the School is: Glory to God.
Students of Year 7 have continued to host assemblies this term, lead devotion and worship which has been truly heartwarming. Often, they have volunteered to come in and practise in preparation for assembly.
We are grateful to the Worship team – Ellie Chong on Keyboard, as well as the singers Naomi, Mercy and Evangeline. Chloe presented a devotion on ‘forgiveness’ which was based on the bible, included teacher participation and encouraged us all to practice forgiveness.
Year 7 students have continued to participate in VEX and Music and Visible Wellbeing sessions and activities. They have settled in to for Semester Two although it doesn’t seem like they have only been here for a semester. Our students, Adam Yang and Asher Hwang also received a high distinction in the recent CAT tests with Asher receiving the ‘Best in School’ Award. They were away when these certificates were presented at a Secondary Assembly so they had a special presentation during homeroom time recently.
As a Year 7 pastoral team, we are thankful to parents for their support and partnership. As we come closer to the end of term, we wish you and our students a restful, safe and happy break!
Right from the start of the year, our Year 8s have been keen worshippers. They enjoy singing, praising and entering God’s presence. They take turns sharing devotions in their homeroom classes. Every Friday morning, we gather all the Year 8s together to end our week worshipping the Lord.
Our Year 8 assemblies are a special times, where we got to celebrate Jesus and hear from The Word. Last month, we heard a devotion from Ben L, Ben C, James and Jeshurun. They took the opportunity to encourage and inspire the cohort by sharing some pivotal scriptures in their lives along with their personal testimonies.
The Year 8 worship team continue to lead us into God’s presence in these year level assemblies. They use their talents of playing piano, guitar, drums and vocals to create an atmosphere of worship. They are enthusiastic in their expression of their love of God.
It is such a pleasure to see our young people glorifying God so openly and freely.
On Saturday night, 6th August, we held our very first Year 8 Social!
Students created teams of 5 and came in team costumes. We had the Teletubbies, Greco-Roman Conquerors, Men in Black and Sanoreos, among others.
Caitlyn and Yoyo created a trivia quiz with a variety of categories. Megan and Jacqueline hosted magnificently. Our in-house DJ Hilary provided the beats and karaoke. We enjoyed lots of snacks, soft drinks and supper that even included an ice cream cake.
It was a tight competition, with four teams coming within four points of each other! But the winners of the quiz were “Joel’s Minions” who walked away with chocolate and big smiles.
A fun night was had by all, including the teachers!
Term 3 was marked by two outstanding camp experiences that offered our Year 9 and Year 10 students opportunities for adventure, growth, and reflection.
During Term 3, our Year 9 students embarked on a remarkable 13-day journey from Melbourne to Darwin as part of the Central Australia Camp. This experience offered a rich blend of cultural learning, natural exploration, and personal growth.
The adventure began at Ayers Rock, where students set up tents and witnessed the breathtaking Uluru sunset. Scenic walks around Uluru and Kata Tjuta provided opportunities to appreciate the region’s beauty, complemented by cultural insights gained at the Uluru-Kata Tjuta Cultural Centre. At the Lilla Aboriginal Community, students participated in traditional dot painting and sampled kangaroo meat, deepening their understanding of Indigenous customs.
A climb to the rim of Kings Canyon revealed stunning views of the ‘Garden of Eden,’ inspiring spontaneous praise and reflection. In Alice Springs, students visited the Desert Park, observing birds of prey in flight and exploring the Nocturnal House, which featured rare and endangered species. The journey continued through the Western MacDonnell Ranges, with a stop at Standley Chasm, known for its glowing red rock walls and unique vegetation.
Students enjoyed restorative moments at the Mataranka Thermal Pool and Katherine Hot Springs, followed by the Nitmiluk Gorge Cultural Cruise, which offered insights into the heritage of the Jawoyn people. Further exploration at Edith Falls and Kakadu National Park included the Yellow Waters Cruise and a sunset at Ubirr Rock.
In Darwin, students toured the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory and the RFDS Tourist Facility before concluding their journey at East Point and the vibrant Mindil Beach Sunset Markets. The camp was a memorable experience that fostered resilience, cultural appreciation, and spiritual reflection.
Meanwhile, Year 10 students enjoyed a rewarding week at Mill Valley Ranch. The camp was a rewarding experience for students, with horse riding emerging as the central highlight. Across several days, students engaged in horse care, riding lessons, and trust-building activities with the horses, developing confidence, communication, and empathy. For many, riding for the first time was a memorable milestone, supported by skilled instructors and the serene natural setting. The horse stables also hosted a demonstration on building trust with horses, offering a powerful metaphor for nurturing a faithful relationship with God.
Complementing the equestrian focus were other outdoor activities such as archery, canoeing, mountain biking, crate climbing, and low ropes challenges. These experiences fostered teamwork, resilience, and personal growth. The Cowboy Chapel and wellbeing sessions provided spiritual and emotional support, encouraging students to reflect on their camp journey and God’s presence in their lives. The camp concluded with “St Andrews Got Talent,” a joyful celebration of students’ creativity and gifts in a supportive environment. Throughout the camp, students embraced new challenges, built meaningful connections, and deepened their faith journey.
Both camps stand as a testament to the profound value of experiential learning, faith, and community - opportunities that are made possible only through God’s gracious provision and blessings.
Part of our Year 11 Business Management course is a practical business project. These students went through an ideation, research and planning process to choose what they would sell across 3 lunchtimes at school. This year we had a choice of loaded waffles, strawberries with chocolate sauce, fairy floss, nachos, churros, paradise pop, ice cream and candy cups. The students worked hard and made many sales, with 30% of all profits going to the MSL fund.
Senior university students often act as mentors for high school students, offering support, sharing experiences and helping with motivation. On Friday, 15 August 2025, The University of Melbourne students met with our Year 12 students to share insights about effective study techniques, time management, how to cope with challenges and develop the resilience needed for academic and personal success. It was amazing to see our Year 12 students engaged, attentive and interested in learning from university students about developing essential skills, post-school options and future pathways. The key takeaway from the session was seeing challenges as opportunities for growth, importance of balancing studies with interests and activities and learning about academic skills and university clubs and societies.
The event was a wonderful way for our Year 12 students to transition to the next activity for the day, Year 12 VTAC Applications. Students created their VTAC profiles, researched courses and submitted their tertiary course preferences.
A different way to enter university is to secure an early offer. We are thrilled to share that several Year 12 students received a conditional offer to their chosen course at Swinburne University, AIE (The Academy of Interactive Entertainment) and ANU (The Australian National University, Canberra). Congratulations on your incredible success!
The St Andrews Drama Showcase was a new addition to the Drama Program in 2025 and was a fabulous opportunity for students in Years 7 to 10 to showcase their talents through devised theatre. Devised theatre asks students to step outside their comfort zones, try new things, and take risks; instead of working from a pre-written script, our students began with a theme — “Out of the Box,” and through improvisation and collaboration, they created original scenes that reflect their ideas, questions, and imaginations.
“Out of the Box” was be performed at Knox Community Arts Centre on Friday the 8th of August at 5:30pm and 8:00pm. Congratulations to the entire cast on a fantastic show, and a huge congratulations to our Drama Captain, Bethany Marshall, for her work in leading the Dance Club, and choreographing their performance in the show.
In Grade 1, the Performing Arts theme for Term 3 has been ‘Let’s work together to put on a show!’ The students worked together to learn the short play, ‘The Little Red Hen’, in which the barnyard animals learn that ‘If we all work together, we can make something good!” In Music lessons, the students learned four songs and practised performing them with actions. In Drama lessons, they learned to memorise dialogue and speak with volume and expression, both as individuals and in groups. Students created costumes and props to use in their performance, and rehearsed under stage lights, using a set created by Year 9 Stagecraft students. In Week 8, students were excited to perform ‘The Little Red Hen’ for an encouraging audience of parents and friends. It was wonderful for students to have the opportunity to perform for an audience, and they can be proud of the way they worked together to present a final show.
Drama and Theatre Studies have gone on a number of exciting excursions this term, including a visit to the Athenaeum in Melbourne for our Year 8, 9 and 10 students to watch “The Play That Goes Wrong”, and Year 11 students visiting the Lilydale Athenaeum to see “The Importance of Being Ernest”. These opportunities to see live theatre are an invaluable part of our students’ theatre education, allowing student to deepen their understanding of the subject and experience professional theatre in action.
Earlier this term, our Year 4 to 6 students enjoyed a visit from Kaboom Percussion, who put on a fantastic show. Using body percussion, recycled materials, and everyday items, students were able to witness how even the simplest objects can create extraordinary music. This was a highlight for our students, and we look forward to hopefully welcoming Kaboom back in the future.
In August and September, our Concert Band, Jazz Band, Junior Jazz Band, Vivace Strings, and Pizzicato String ensembles participated in the Victorian Schools Music Festival — one of the major performance events our ensembles work towards each year.
It is a statewide event where schools perform in some of the State’s top venues and receive on-stage feedback from expert adjudicators. This was our most successful year yet, with all of our ensembles receiving a Silver or higher, along with outstanding feedback across the board.
Ensembles | Results | |
Concert Band Pizzicato Strings Vivace Strings Junior Jazz Band Jazz Band | Silver Award Gold Award Gold Award Gold Award Platinum Award |
Additionally, in early September, our Cantabile Winds and Concert Band ensembles represented the college at the prestigious Royal South Street Society Eisteddfod. This was their first ever appearance at the event and was a successful day with Cantabile Winds receiving GOLD for their performance.
Congratulations to all of our ensembles for their fantastic efforts across all competitions, and for the overwhelmingly positive feedback from the adjudicators.
Our two Ensembles Concerts on September 15th and 16th were a fantastic celebration of musical talent across both our Orchestral and Contemporary Ensembles, where each ensemble performed a selection of pieces that they have been working on this year. Congratulations to all the students involved and thank you to family and friends who came along to support our young musicians. Thanks also to all the staff who helped to make this event happen, by either directing or conducting an ensemble, assisting with setup/pack up, or by providing backstage/tech support.
Stefanie is an exceptional artist whose work centres on how we perceive God, self and others. She is gifted in drawing from life, working mainly in pencil, charcoal and pastel. Her Body of Work (figurative self-portrait) is effortless and evocative, showcasing her vulnerability and growing faith. Her final artwork is still progressing and when finished will be displayed in the College Gallery space.
"This year, I’ve been interested in exploring how vulnerability can act as a vessel for transformation, especially in the context of Christ. I strongly believe that having the courage to be emotionally exposed is crucial for living a fulfilling and authentic life because of how it leaves room for God to meet you where you’re at. My artwork is a large self-portrait, which has pushed me out of my comfort zone as an artist and has prompted more reflections on human vulnerability. I want to offer my hand to others who feel lost or unworthy, inviting everyone to share in the transformative power of God’s love."
Phoebe, our dedicated Primary Art Captain, has diligently led a group of students in preparing a display for Book Week and leading the bookmark competition with enthusiasm and care. Well done to all students who participated and made bookmarks.
Meanwhile, in Art, students have continued to develop the Learner Attribute, Applying, to use skills and techniques learnt in previous units to problem solve while making new artworks.
You are warmly invited to join us for an afternoon celebrating Art as we showcase student's creativity of students from Prep to VCE Visual Arts and Media.
Date: Monday, 20th October
Time: 3:30 – 5:30 PM (Formalities begin at 4:00 PM)
Location: Primary and Secondary Art Rooms
Visitors will have the opportunity to explore a vibrant collection of student artworks and participate in the People’s Choice voting for standout pieces from both Primary and Secondary levels. We look forward to sharing this inspiring celebration of our school community’s creativity with you.
Don't forget to save the date for the Art Show opening!
Our Primary Athletics Carnival on 19 August was filled with sunshine, cheering and plenty of exciting events on the track and field. Students gave it their all in races, relays and especially the much-loved tug of war! A huge congratulations to Parkes for winning overall, and well done to all our students for their amazing effort and team spirit throughout the day!
"Secondary Athletics was a day filled with energy, perseverance, teamwork, and spirit. Despite the wind and rain, our athletes hit the track with determination and rose to the challenges of the field with resilience. The day kicked off with a vibrant 80s-themed dance warm-up, led by Parkes Captain Alyssa and Deakin Captain Thenul, setting the tone of unity and fun that carried through the entire day.
"The track was alive not only with athletes, but with waves of red, green, and yellow as our houses proudly showed their spirit. From inflatable sprints to multicoloured tutu jumps, STACC brought an explosion of energy, colour, and fun to the day. The wind and rain picked up during the day, but as the weather rose, so too did our athletes. From the explosive 100m sprints to the enduring 1500m team jogs, the powerful jumps, and the determined shot put and discus, students pushed through, encouraging one another and lifting everyone up.
"Competition throughout the day built to a nail-biting finish in the final relays. With the wind clearing, Deakin stormed home in the last VCE relay to secure the win and the Athletics Trophy. And as the cherry on top, the Staff vs. Students Mixed Relay came down to a photo finish—with the students (Thenul, Ethan, Stephanie, and Ruby) snatching a millisecond victory over the teachers.
"What a great way to finish off the major sports events of the year. See you guys at presentation night."
The Herald Sun Shield is a big AFL competition that takes winning teams from different associations and plays them against one another—all matches are streamed through the Herald Sun website, and it is a huge honour to participate in this competition.
Bonnie Carline & Sidra Dharmadasa played in a representative CSEN team that won their semi-final against Luther College! Sidra played a key Ruck position throughout the competition day, and played in the grand final representing CSEN. Although they unfortunately lost against Ballarat Grammar, some awesome moments were still created by the CSEN team!
Marc Hole, Silas Vincent and Ethan Gregor (Year 12s at St Andrews) were all selected for and played in a representative CSEN team. The level of competition is so high that CSEN have never even won a game at this event before! The boys helped lead the CSEN team to its first ever boy's win—and came close in all other matches throughout the day (losing by only 1 point in two of our matches. Marc played a key ruck position, Silas played throughout the midfield, and Ethan was able to kick countless goals through his work in the forward line. Well done boys!
Our 7/8 Girls Junior AFL team remains undefeated in our CSEN Semester Sport competition! Hoping to have a confident run into finals!
Current results: | Scores: | ||||||
Won against MTEV Won against Waverley Wantirna Won against Chairo Won against Christway Kingston | 103-0 82-1 24-12 53-12 |
We had a successful and fun time at the Christian Schools Volleyball Championships. This competition brought together competitive teams from Christian Schools around the state and was of a very high calibre. Well done to our students! Junior girls came 3rd overall! Very successful day!
We had a successful time at the CSEN Netball Championships day. Our senior boys came 2nd overall, and our Senior girls came 3rd. This competition brought together competitive teams from Christian Schools around the state and was of a very high calibre. Well done to our students!
This term's annual Teachers vs Students match was a netball game. It was a VERY close match, however the teachers came out on top with a strong final quarter! Well done to everyone who was able to participate!
Term 3 has been a very busy time for the library. In August, we had Book Week, which coincided with the announcement of The Children’s Book Council of Australia’s (CBCA) Book of the Year awards. The Primary School held a very successful Book Week Reading Picnic which was enjoyed by everyone. This year’s theme was “Book an adventure”
The Picnic commenced with a Book character parade under the Dome and then moved into the MPH, where the author Simon Camilleri entertained everyone with his book Read, Think, Pray, Do. Students then selected a number of book readings to attend. Books were read by staff members from all sections of the school. In the afternoon, our guest author ran workshops for Years Prep – 2.
During the week, a second- hand book stall ran at lunchtime. During this time, students could purchase a pre-loved book and the funds would go to support literacy resources in Yarrabah.
Thank you very much to Janita and Sarah for organising these events.
Also, on the evening of Thursday 21st August, Library staff also took part in Prep Bedtime Stories. This was very well attended and it was wonderful to see the Junior Library full of parents and children.
Finally, Our Victorian Premier’s Reading Challenge (VPRC) concluded on the 5th September. The Year 7 and 8 students took part in the Challenge and read a total of 1957 books.
Congratulations go to the following students who performed particularly well:
Students: | No. of Books Read: |
Paul Chloe Asher Ming Xuan Ofira Bei Yi Lauren Shiphrah Rinah | 119 books 106 books 66 books 65 books 56 books 56 books 51 books |
The above students have earned VPRC badges for their magnificent effort.
As part of our Visible Wellbeing Framework the College embrace events that highlight Wellbeing! This year RUOK? Day was coordinated by our Student Wellbeing Captain, Youran Wang, who brought in other captains to support one event each day. On Thursday, staff and students celebrated RUOK? Day itself with dressing up, a reflective homeroom time plus a Student vs Student Soccer Tournament in the MPH at lunch.
Thank you to our wonderful Staff team who care for students every day!
Sorrow, pain and anger affect us all. There are no ‘bad’ emotions. We do know though that holding onto sorrow, pain and anger can cause significant negative impacts on our wellbeing. Unforgiveness can fracture relationships. The benefits of forgiveness include spiritual and psychological wellbeing; reduced physical pain, higher self-esteem; a sense of release; freedom and peace; less anger, anxiety, depression and stress; health benefits like reduced blood pressure; and an increased immunity and a healthier heart.
In Ephesians 4:31 – 5:2, Paul is talking about how we should relate to one another. He says to "Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamour and evil speaking be put away from you. And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another as I have forgiven you." He asks us to be "imitators of God" and to 'walk in love". It’s a tough teaching, right? And often forgiveness takes time, especially when linked to trauma, and is very challenging when there has been a breach of trust.
The REACH practice of forgiveness may help you to get rid of bitterness and grudges, freeing you from worry and stress. Forgiving the small and big things that happen to us doesn’t remove the consequences for that person or situation that caused you harm. You are simply trusting God to take the worry from you as He knows how to better deal with the situation than you do. You might not feel like forgiving someone.
Decisional forgiveness involves choosing to let go of your angry thoughts towards the person who has hurt you or wronged you. Emotional forgiveness goes further to bring love, compassion, sympathy and even empathy to replace the anger, bitterness, hatred, fear and resentment.
Recall the hurt without blame
Empathise, thinking how the person who wronged you may see the situation
Altruism - Remember a time you were forgiven, and how that felt
Commit to forgiveness
Hold on to forgiveness and avoid thinking about the situation over and over.
Take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5). Keep working on each step, even if it takes a long time or many attempts to feel like it’s working.
It is wonderful that God helps us in our weakness (Romans 8:26, 2 Corinthians 12:10). If you’d like to talk with one of our Wellbeing Team members about your child and issues of unforgiveness, please reach out to mheading@standrews.vic.edu.au.
God bless,
On Tuesday the 21st October and during our Follow the Star event in November we will holding a Market Stall in partnership with Transform the Nations, come and say. Many items are perfect for Christmas Gifts, priced from $2-$10, the felt used to create these delightful gifts are made in Nepal.
Parents will have opportunity to visit the stall before and after school with students throughout the day. Both cash and card will be accepted. Keep your eyes on the HUB for more details at the start of term.
We’re also delighted to share that early next year, a group from our school community will be heading off on the Nepal mission trip. Staff members Majella, Joel and Shellene will be joined by students Samuel Cheung, Hannah Connelly, Shenali Kalpage, Edha Karki, Danny Kim, Sera Oktani, Annabelle Tay, Gloria Tay and Jonathan Yun. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers as they prepare for this incredible opportunity to serve and learn.
Blessings,
The College Working Bee was held on Saturday 16th August and was a big success. Jobs included mulching, filling sand pits, planting, weeding, and cleaning tables. Thank you to all the parents who gave up their time to attend and for their hard work. They have all made a valuable contribution to the appearance and functioning of the College grounds.
Did you know our garden is full of bush tucker and native plants with amazing uses? The Old Man Saltbush has salty leaves that can be baked into damper, a traditional bush tucker favourite. Fun fact: the Finger lime has tangy leaves that indigenous people used for flavouring! Our Lemon Myrtle plant has aromatic leaves traditionally used in bush medicine. Everyone is welcome to take some home to brew your own myrtle tea, which you can collect during the Garden Club.
If you enjoy working in the garden, please join us at the Garden Club on Monday lunchtimes. The Sustainability team would also like to invite you to participate in the 2025 Healthy Soils Competition for a chance to showcase your passion and creativity! Check the poster for all the details.
To all our staff and parents of students at St Andrews Christian College, we would love for you to join us in praising God and praying for the College. The meetings are held at these times:
There is no obligation to pray aloud but of course you are welcome to. More information is also available from our Chaplain, Warwick Grant at wgrant@standrews.vic.edu.au or from Suzy Song at the College office.
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