This past week, the staff and myself have been in awe of how our students have acclimatised to distance learning. It has been a joy to see photos of Kinders’ art creations, videos of students participating in Mr Whittle’s Physical Education lessons, watching students learn the alphabet in Auslan, teachers receiving encouraging messages from parents, reading positive feedback teachers have given students about their online learning progress, and applauding students for their engagement and perseverance. I praise God for the exceptional, adaptable and loving community we have at our school.

As we prepare to wind down after the end of a big term and head into the holidays, it is important that we remember, as a community, why we celebrate Easter. This week, Mrs Jenny Berry, our Chaplain is reading to us The Garden, the Curtain and the Cross, written by Carl Laferton and illustrated by Catalina Echeverr. You can watch Mrs Berry, read the story.

This book reminds us of the beautiful work of God in Christ. Erik Raymond writes in the The Gospel Coalition blog:

Remember in the Garden of Eden God dwelt with his people? But, after sinning they were cast out of the Garden. Because of sin, God said, “Get out!” Then God came to dwell with his people in a different way, through the Temple. But, even here, because of sin, God said, “Stay out!” This large curtain declared that the way to God was still obstructed to man because of sin. However, what happened on the cross? God came to us in his Son and he was cast out. He bore our sin on the cross. And as Jesus died the curtain in the temple was torn in two. Through the death of Christ God was declaring that sinners may now draw near to God.

The Garden, the Curtain and the Cross is not just a book for our students, but for all who have child-like faith. Let’s praise God for our wonderful Saviour, Jesus!

My prayer is that all of our families will grasp the full meaning of Easter. As you unwrap your Easter eggs and enjoy family time, I encourage you all to remember to reflect upon Easter by reading the Easter story in the book of Luke or watching the Easter Story as a family and praising God for the greatest gift He has given us - Jesus.

Miss Bethany Armstrong - Principal

BRIGHT COLOUR Free Dress Day

To celebrate the last day of term tomorrow, let’s lift our spirits and dress in colourful clothing! We would love to see photos of students in their brightly coloured attire at home.

Please email photos to us so we can share them with everyone! 

Embracing Diversity

At the beginning of the year, teaching staff were asked to pick one topic from a list of threads that we wanted to unpack with a Biblical perspective. The thread that Year 5 have been focusing on is ‘Embracing Diversity’. The thread states that students will respect and celebrate ‘the built-in differences between cultures and peoples given for the enhancement of all’.

In class, we have explored this through various subjects and by talking about how we all come from different backgrounds, life experiences and cultures. We all think differently, and this is what defines our personalities and the core of who we are. As a result, we all learn differently, and we all have our own likes and dislikes. These diverse opinions and ways of thinking all influence how we learn, and the rate at which we learn, in different areas. This is regularly discussed in the classroom; we don’t strive to be better than one another, but instead to be a better version of ourselves. We do this in order to drive ourselves and motivate ourselves in a positive way. This also follows God’s teachings in Colossians 3:23 which states whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men.

Therefore, the challenge is to do everything to the best of your ability; to excel and go beyond what is simply ‘good enough’ in all that you do. Do not compare yourself to others. Instead, use yourself as the measuring stick by which to improve against. Support those around you with encouraging words, and help each other to reach their full potential.

We have a chant in the Year 5 classroom that is taken from a Daft Punk song; “Work it harder, make it better, do it faster, makes us stronger”. It is the last part that makes the most impact here; we all need to work hard, get things done, be the best that we can be, but it’s our diversity in all of these areas that make not just one of us stronger, but all of us.

Mr Dean Prentice - Year 5 Teacher

Easter Ideas for Little Learners

We are about to head into Easter, and this is a wonderful opportunity to share about God’s love for us. Please find below some suggestions/activities for you.

Make an Easter Garden

You will need a plate, coconut, green food dye, a hollow chocolate egg and a round biscuit (to use as the stone), as well as craft items to make people:

1. colour ½ cup of coconut with the green food dye and put on a plate;

2. break off the top section of the egg so you have a tomb, put on the plate;

3. place the round biscuit over the egg opening; and

4. make Jesus and others from pipe cleaners, icy pole sticks or cut out cardboard.

Discuss the story of Jesus and his resurrection from the tomb as you eat your creation.

Hot Cross Buns

Make some Hot Cross Buns. Children love being able to help. Whether it’s measuring ingredients, sifting or rubbing in the butter, they will enjoy being hands-on punching down the dough and kneading the buns. Discuss the origin of hot cross buns as you enjoy them straight out the oven spread with some butter, and a nice hot cuppa or hot chocolate.

Mrs Jane Edler - Little Learners Coordinator

Happy Easter

Easter is just around the corner. However, instead of the usual buzz in the shopping centres of families buying chocolate eggs and hot cross buns, we have been asked to stay home as much as possible, with restrictions placed on shopping activities and travel to visit family and friends.

In this time of anxiety and uncertainty, the hope found in the message of Easter has never been more needed in our community than it is now. As we all seek to keep safe from the virus, the Easter story reminds us that God sent his only Son into the world to save us from sin and suffering, and to offer us everlasting life.

The hope of new life is the joyful message of Easter, and while the world around us is being shaken, it is comforting to be reminded that God’s love for us is eternal. Like an anchor that holds a ship steady in a storm, faith in God during a time like this offers each of us hope in these uncharted waters in which we find ourselves tossed about.

I hope that you and your family can find new and creative ways to celebrate Easter at home; that you all experience the true joy of the season, and are able to share that same joy with those in need, and with whom you are in touch with, during this period of isolation.

John 3:16 – For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Mrs Jenny Berry - Chaplain

You can view a video of Mrs Berry reading the Easter story The Garden, the Curtain, and the Cross here.