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Welcome to Term 3. While the cold weather continues and more rain is predicted, we at GPCC are looking forward to a positive term of good work and progress. I trust that you not only survived the holiday break but found time to have quality conversation and activities with your children.
For our Secondary parents, a reminder that our long-serving Head of Secondary, Mr Peter McLellan is finishing up on Friday 29 July after 24 years in the school and over 15 of those as Head of Secondary. Our Deputy Principal, Mrs Jane McLarty will be stepping in to fill the role for the remainder of the year as we prepare to advertise for a replacement. We will be saying goodbye to Mr McLellan at a special secondary assembly next week, but he may be back to do some casual teaching for us as he works out what he is going to do next.
This term is Trial HSC exams for Year 12 students and exams for Year 11. This can be a stressful time especially for those who may not have been working as diligently as they should over the past two terms. Remember to be aware of mood changes in your teenager and support them with positive encouragement. We are confident they will do well, and these trial exams are important in the final run up to the HSC to highlight areas of focus for them in each subject.
There is increasing talk of the potential impact of the new strains of COVID around and mask wearing for those who have a member of their family with COVID or who are suffering from a cold is strongly recommended. At this stage there are no special requirements on schools, but I have asked staff to be careful to wear a mask if they have a cold or believe they may have been in contact with a COVID positive person. If your child is showing any symptoms of COVID or the flu, please keep them at home and get them tested.
We are celebrating our 40 Year Anniversary this year and you are all invited to a Thanksgiving Service to be held in our MPC in conjunction with Green Point Baptist Church, our founding Church. The service will be at 2:30pm on Sunday 7 August and it would be wonderful to have many of you join staff and Church members to thank God for his provision of our school. Reminders will go out through our social media channels as well. We will be celebrating with students on Wednesday 27 July, but due to the number of students involved, we cannot have you as parents attend that.
I reminded staff at the start of our preparation days, that we serve a great God. He is a God of miracles, a God of hope and a God of comfort and presence. Whatever lies ahead of us this term, we can be confident God is at work bringing about his eternal purposes and we can trust that He is with us through every circumstance. May this also be your experience.
Phillip Nash
Principal
I would like to welcome back all of our students and their families. I hope you were able to stay warm and dry over the holiday period and enjoy some quality time with family and friends. We have five new students joining us this term across Years 1,4, 5 and 6. Please make them feel welcome.
I would also like to welcome back Mrs Kristie Pocknall after maternity leave. Mrs Pocknall will be working on 5P each Friday. As Mrs Pounsett heads off to have her baby we welcome Miss Leanne Schenkel to 5PC. Miss Schenkel will teach 5PC. She says ”I have recently moved to the Central Coast from Orange, where I have been living and teaching for the last 15 years. My family and I decided we had had enough of the freezing Orange winters and wanted to move back to the balmier climes of the coast.”
Finally we also have two new Student Learning Support Officers (SLSO’s) assisting our students with their learning: Mrs Cherise Harris and Mr Luke Moody. Please make our teachers welcome and say hi if you see them in the playground.
Parent/Teacher Interviews and Semester 1 Reports
Our Semester One reports are available for viewing on the Parent Lounge. All parents are invited to take up the opportunity to discuss the reports with your core teacher on Tuesday 26 July (Week 2 Term 3) at our Parent Teacher Interviews. These interviews will be held in your child’s classroom. If students do attend, they MUST either wait outside the room or join the interview, and are under the supervision of the parents. Students should not be roaming the playground unsupervised.
Information about how to book your appointment has been emailed out and appointments are open until 3:00pm Monday 25 July. Please make note of your appointment times and ensure you are punctual in you attendance as appointments are only 10 minutes.
Please login to your Parent Lounge, click on ‘Events & Payments’, and scroll down to ‘Parent Teacher Interviews’ to book.
You may access your account with your family account number previously supplied. If you are new to the College and have not used this facility before, please contact the College office to obtain your family account number.
If you have not already done so, you will need to set yourself a password by following the instructions. the easiest way to learn how to book your appointment is to watch the short video once you have accessed your account, under 'School Links', tab, and select 'Help Videos'.
Please take a few minutes to watch this video as it will make the process much easier for you.
To log into your Parent Lounge, click: https://parents.gpcc.nsw.edu.au
Jungle Book Musical – Helpers
Calling all those handy with a glue gun, sewing machine or paint brush. We are looking for helpers to assist with set design and costume assembly for our musical. Any and all assistance will be appreciated, and clear direction and kits can be distributed to work on at home or busy bees at school. Please register your willingness and availability with the College office at office@gpcc.nsw.edu.au or 4363 1266.
Head of School Award from Week 10 Term 2
Congratulations to the following students for getting their Head of School Award in Week 10 Term 2:
Ashton F, KDL; Oscar G, KG; Levi D, 1C; Kalli H, 1G; Joel M, 1S; Harrison L, 2D; Blake M, 2G; Chloe H, 3B; Gabriel R, 3D; Henry L, 3PH; Caitlin H, 4B; Zac T, 4BK; Penny L, 5L; Emily M, 5P; Mianè D, 5PC; Harper F, 6MR; Benjamin H, 6S; Bonita C, 6T.
Kindergarten Teddy Bear's Picnic - end of Term 2
Dates for Term 3
This term is a busy one with lots of events coming up. Please note the following dates in your diary:
- 26 July - Primary Parent Teacher interviews
- 27 July – Chess Comp at Central Coast Grammar
- 29 July – Year 1 Swimming begins (Weekly)
- 16 August – K-2 Athletics Carnival – Parents Welcome
- 3 August – Kindy 100 days
- 26 August – Book parade and Fair day – Parents Welcome
- 2 September - Fathers Day Stall
- 16 September - Primary School Musical “The Jungle Book – Kids” Matinee Performance
- 17 September – Primary School Musical “The Jungle Book – Kids” Twilight performance
Mr Peter McLellan | Head of Secondary
Welcome back for Term 3. This is a very important term for our Year 12 cohort. During this term they will be undertaking their HSC Trial exams. Please be in prayer for them. One of the dangers they face is that after those exams they assume they are finished. This is far from the reality. Many subjects finish their content much later in the term and if students switch off their focus they will miss out on important content. Other subjects use this time to revise content and skills. If you have a Year 12 student in your household, please encourage them to stay the course to the end of term.
On a personal note, this will be the last newsletter I will be writing in as I finish my time at the College. I wish to thank all of the staff that I have worked with over the past 24 + years. I wish to thank all of the parents who have allowed me to share in the lives of their students through the good and bad that occur in growing up. I have found it a privilege to serve God in this place and I pray God’s richest blessings on all of you who are involved in the community that is Green Point Christian College.
Year 8 Information Evening - Tuesday 26 July 6:00pm (Week 2, Term 3)
Year 7 - 12 Parent Teacher Interviews - Tuesday 2 August
Interviews for Years 7,8,9,10,11 and 12 students are being held Tuesday 2 August from 4:00pm until 8:30pm in the MPC. Students are encouraged to attend these interviews with parents.
Bookings will open online (in Parent Lounge) on Tuesday 26 July 2022 at 9:00am and will close on Monday 1 August at 4:00pm.
Access your Parent Lounge with your username (previously supplied) and password.
The easiest way to learn how to book your appointment is to watch the short video once you have accessed your account, under 'School Links' tab and select 'Help Videos'.
Please note - David Russell will be available on the evening for parents of students in Year 10 and 11 wishing to see the Careers Advisor.
HSC Trials Exam Timetable
Year 11 PDHPE Camp - Term 2
The PDHPE camp to Kangaroo valley was one to remember. All the memories we made together will forever hold a special place in our hearts. One of my favourite parts of the camp was the canoeing, when you would be in the middle of the water. Everything was silent and still. The water was as still as glass, and you could see the mountains, rocks, and trees perfectly reflected. It was so peaceful out there and you didn’t even need someone to talk to, just being with nature was enough. But I have to say that my overall favourite memory was the last night we were there. We all had dinner and were all sitting around the fire. The day had been cold, and the clouds had come through in the afternoon. The fire was warming us up and someone got their speaker out and started to play some music. At first, we were all just chatting, and then a song came on that a lot of people knew, so we started singing. The teachers came over a bit later and told us that curfew was at 8, so we only had one or two more songs to play. The last song to come on was one that everyone knew. Pompeii. As the song played and everyone was singing, someone pointed out the stars. Everyone looked up and the clouds had parted slightly so that a strip of stars could be seen. As everyone looked up at the stars, a connection was formed between all of us. We could feel it, the music, the stars, the fire. It all came together in a perfect moment that I’m sure we will cherish forever. Thank you to everyone who made this trip possible, the teachers, the leaders, and most of all the students who pushed through any nervousness or anxiety before the trip, and I’m sure will agree with me when I say that it was 100% worth it.
by Charlotte H (Year 11)
Mr David Russell
Curriculum Co-ordinator (7-12) | Student Advisor (7-12)
This week’s Careers Part A Newsletter has information about the Year 10 subject information evening, a talk from University of Newcastle for Year 10, Road Design Training program, Higher Apprenticeship with PwC, and Macquarie University Open Day.
In Careers Part B Newsletter there is also information about Launch Your Career events for Agriculture and Hospitality, Child Care traineeship opportunities with Central Coast Council, the Central Coast Apprenticeship and Traineeship Expo, an opportunity for those interested in the Equine industry, and an item in red in the General News section about Sports careers.
For more details, please see this week's Careers News Part A and Careers News Part B or visit the Student Careers section under the "Education & Learning" menu on the GPCC website.
Mr Stuart McSwan | K - 6 Sport Co-ordinator
Primary Zone Athletics Team
Congratulations to all the students that have made our GPCC Squad for the Zone Athletics Carnival to be held at Glendale on Monday 1 August (Week 3). The Team has been posted on my office window and information has been sent to parents via email and Parent Lounge.
Athletics and Cross-Country Awards
These will be presented together at the Week 4 Chapel service on Wednesday 10 August. Parents of awardees will be invited via email in the next week or two.
House Sport
This term we will begin a weekly House Sport competition with students from Years 3-6 during Friday Sport afternoons. Students will have the opportunity to participate for their House in a variety of sports including continuous cricket, international handball, basketball or Newcomb ball. Please note, students will not play all of these sports during this time, and that it is weather dependent.
2022 Northern NSW and QLD Interschools Snowsport Championships
Congratulations to Nash P (Year 3) and Amelia P (Year 6) who represented GPCC in Snowboard Cross at the Northern NSW and QLD Interschools Snowsport Championships down at Thredbo. Well done Nash and Amelia.
CSSA and CIS Nominations
Some of the individual CSSA and CIS Sport nominations due soon are:
Please email Mr McSwan before these dates if your child (Years 5 and 6 only) would like to be considered. They need to be currently playing in the sport and have several years experience (preferably at a Representative level):
Primary
Wednesday 3 August - CIS Primary Girls Softball Trials (Nominations close 27 July)
Wednesday 17 August - CIS Primary Girls Cricket Trials (Nominations close 10 August)
Monday 12 September - CIS Primary Boys Cricket Trials (Nominations close 5 September)
Dates for your Calendar
PRIMARY
School Carnivals
TBC- Tuesday 16 August (Term 3) - GPCC K-2 Infants Athletics Carnival (on-site at the College)
TBC- Friday 21 October (Term 4) - GPCC K-2 Swimming Carnival (Peninsula Leisure Centre)
Years 7 - 12 Sport Co-ordinator
Central Coast Academy of Sport
There is an opportunity for some of our elite athletes to get involved in the Central Coast Academy of Sport winter sports programs in the following four sports:
Swimming: https://thinksport.com.au/programs/swimming/
Touch Football: https://thinksport.com.au/programs/touch-football/
Athletics: https://thinksport.com.au/programs/athletics/
Indoor Volleyball: https://thinksport.com.au/programs/volleyball/
Please click on any of the links if you would like to apply for any of these opportunities.
Preschool Story Time
We are back! Preschool Storytime is on site again. Join us on a Monday morning at 9:00am in the Primary Library for books, craft and fun.
Please register via email, nvanwyk@gpcc.nsw.edu.au or in person at Story Time.
Premier’s Reading Challenge
Competition closes Friday 19 August, please register your reading before the closing date.
Book Club
Issue 5 online orders close on Friday 5 August, Book Club Home | Scholastic Australia.
Book Week
Literacy events will be held 24-26 August. Book Parade is Friday 26 August at 11.45am, followed by a BBQ and Fair. More information to follow.
Online Concert through Teams
At the end of Term 2 an online concert was organised through Teams in preparation for our Tutor Concert in Term 3 organised by one of our tutors, Catherine Lamey.
Congratulations to Matthew H (Year 12), David L (Year 12), Ellen B (6M) and Maisie B (2G) on your performances.
Matthew and David played really well and Catherine Lamey said "I can see some growth in their preparation for their HSC performances".
Ellen and Maisey really enjoyed playing.
Ellen said she liked hearing the older boys play and seeing how good they were.
Maisie said she loved it! And everyone was cheering her on and she thought she played a really good tune!
Years 7 and 10 English Poems
At the end of Term 2, some of our Year 7 and Year 10 English students wrote poems for the Dorothea MacKellar Poetry Awards. The competition is for Australian school children and has run for many years.
Both Year 7 and Year 10 were studying poetry and it was a wonderful opportunity for students to use their creativity and craft their own poems. Teachers selected the best poems to submit to the competition and the three here are just a sample of our students’ beautiful and powerful poetry.
We love to see our students using their creativity, voice and skills to write texts that will move and challenge and inspire others.
Click on links below to view some of these poems.
Student Contributions in The Messenger
We encourage students to email contributions for the new section of our weekly newsletter, titled Student Voice. It may be a short story, a poem, service activity, an achievement or award (sporting, Scouts, Duke of Ed etc). Please email to newsletter@gpcc.nsw.edu.au for consideration of inclusion in The Messenger.
40 Year Anniversary Thanksgiving Service
SUNDAY 7 AUGUST 2:30pm
2022 marks the 40th Anniversary of the first year of school for Green Point Christian College with the first class meeting on 17 February 1982. Seventeen primary students came to class with one teacher in the rooms above the Little Coasties Preschool. Today we have 1100 students from Kindergarten to Year 12 and occupy our own premises on approximately 17 acres of land which the school has purchased over the years.
Green Point Baptist Church had the vision and courage to start a private school and have been willing to see it grow and expand way beyond what the founders had originally envisioned or probably imagined. We give thanks to God for faithful and hardworking people who have contributed to our school and made it what it is today, and we continue to develop it out of respect for those pioneers.
We invite you to join us for this special service of celebration. If you do not regularly attend Green Point Baptist Church, we kindly request you RSVP for catering purposes by registering below:
https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/40-year-anniversary-thanksgiving-service-tickets-371896962827
HSC Trials Volunteers Needed
GPCC Second Hand Uniform Store
The Second Hand Uniform Store will be running 2:00pm - 3:00pm on Wednesday 3 August and Wednesday 7 September in A1 (The first room in A Bloack, next to the Administration building).
Meet Ashlee Bennetts - Singing Tutor
Ashlee has been tutoring vocals across the Central Coast for the last 6 years, teaching at private schools such as Central Coast Adventist School and Green Point Christian College. Ashlee is also an accomplished performer, regularly performing at venues and events around the Central Coast. She is very passionate about teaching singing and believes that everyone can learn the skills to improve their voice. Ashlee focuses her teaching around the goals of each student, ensuring that they have a properly developed voice with good function and vocal health. Her lessons have a strong focus on building confidence and self-belief for each and every student.
Please click on the link below for more information about music lessons: https://www.gpcc.nsw.edu.au/education-learning/co-curricular-activities/music-tuition
Advancedlife Photography
Uniform Shop
Term 2 2022 Uniform Shop Trading hours
Monday: 8:30am - 11:00am
Wednesday: 1:30pm - 4:00pm
Thursday: 8:30am - 11:00am
Friday: 8:30am - 11:00am
For the price list and further information on ordering through Alinta, please visit our website – https://www.gpcc.nsw.edu.au/enrolment/uniform
The Munchery Canteen Operations and Updated Menu
All students are strongly encouraged to order online. However, over the counter sales will also available.
Please visit the GPCC website for the link to The Munchery portal: https://www.gpcc.nsw.edu.au/community/the-munchery-canteen
EXTEND (Before and After School Care)
Parent Lounge Details
The College has a legal requirement to keep our records up to date.
Please review your details on Parent Lounge to ensure that all your information is correct. This includes medical information on your child/ren (only complete the immunisation question if your child is not immunised).
Please note: Should you require both parents/carers to receive SMS notifications, please tick the appropriate boxes.
Green Point Community Notices
Firewood for Sale
Please call Brian Shaw at the College on 0404478341
If you would like to place an advertisement in the Green Point Community Notices, please email details to Justine Collins at
Green Point Baptist Church
9:30am Worship Service
6:00pm Service
Services continue to be available online each week.
We are updating our Facebook page regularly with what's happening, so check it out: https://www.facebook.com/greenpointbaps/
Coming Up this Week
Monday, 25 July
Cyber Safety Incursions - Years 3 - 6
Tuesday, 26 July
THACCCSA Secondary Zone Boys Basketball
THACCCSA Secondary Zone Girls Futsal
Primary Parent/Teacher Interviews
Year 8 & Year 10 Subject Info Night - ( evening)
Wednesday, 27 July
Primary Chess Competition at Central Coast Grammar
Newcastle Permanent Maths Competition (Years 4 - 6)
40 Year Anniversary Celebration - Whole School Chapel
Secondary Girls Rugby League Trials - NSWCIS State Event
Thursday, 28 July
CSSA Secondary Boys/Girls 15 & U Football Finals
Central Coast OZTAG Competition (Years 9-12)
Year 1 Swimming begins (weekly)
Dates for the Calendar
Monday, 1 August
HSC Trials 2022 1-15 August
THACCCSA Zone Primary Athletics Carnival - Glendale
Tuesday, 2 August
Year 7 - 12 Parent/Teacher Interviews (4:00pm - 8:30pm)
Wednesday, 3 August
Year 10 Smart Road Safety Excursion to Qudos Bank Arena
Central Coast OZTAG (Years 7 and 8)
CIS Primary Girls Softball Trials
100 Days of Kindergarten
Thursday, 4 August
CSSA Primary State Netball Metro Cup
Friday, 5 August
Secondary Zone Athletics Carnival - Hunter Sports Centre Glendale
Tuesday, 16 August
K - 2 Athletics Carnival (parents welcome at the College)
Friday, 26 August
Primary Book Parade and Fair
Friday, 2 September
Father's Day Stall
Friday, 16 September
Primary School Musical “The Jungle Book – Kids” Matinee Performance
Saturday, 17 September
Primary School Musical “The Jungle Book – Kids” Twilight performance
TERM DATES 2022
Term 3, 2022
Thursday, 21 July to Friday, 23 September
Term 4, 2022
Tuesday, 11 October to Wednesday, 7 December
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TERM DATES 2023
Term 1, 2023
Wednesday, 1 February - Students commence Term 1 (Years 1 - 7, 11 and 12)
Thursday, 2 February - Years 8 - 10 commence Term 1
Thursday, 2 February - Kindergarten commence Term 1
Thursday, 6 April - Last Day Term 1
Term 2, 2023
Wednesday, 26 April to Friday, 30 June
Monday, 12 June - Queen’s Birthday Public Holiday
Term 3, 2023
Monday, 24 July to Friday, 22 September
Monday, 2 October - Labour Day Public Holiday
Term 4, 2023
Monday, 9 October - Friday, 8 December