Mother of the Year in Australia this year is Leila Abdullah, the Oatlands mum who suffered the loss of three of her children in a horrific incident in which a drunk and drugged driver drove into the children and their cousins as they walked on the footpath.

She is a very deserving winner, not only for her willingness to forgive the driver, but for the love and concern she showed for those around her even as she suffered unimaginable grief. Clearly, her faith supported her through this and continues to help her, but nothing can take away from the terrible loss of most of her family.

Being a mum is hard at the best of times and in a world in which some in our society want to blur the boundaries between mums and dads, it remains an important part of the lives of all children. As a Christian school, we hold to the idea of a mother and a father as set out in the story of origins in the early part of the book of Genesis. Mothers have played important and significant roles in the unfolding story of God culminating in Mary, the mother of Jesus.

It was great to see so many of our school mum’s who braved torrential rain to gather together last week to celebrate being a mother. The Mother’s Day stall is outstanding and thanks to the mums who worked hard to put that together too. I trust that this Mother’s Day, our mothers have been honoured and respected for the important role they play in the lives of our children and the vital role they play in our society in balancing out the male role and perspective.

We do live in a changing society and the adoption of same-sex marriage has impacted our traditional understanding of family and the role of mothers and fathers. Whatever our particular view of this, it is important we honour and maintain respect for those who play a significant part in raising children.

I trust that this weekend, in spite of the COVID restrictions, your family are able to honour and celebrate your mothers. Mary, the mother of Jesus is a great example to us of a loving and faithful mother who is recorded as standing by her son, even as He hung on the Cross. May we be those who stand by our mothers, loving and honouring them.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Phillip Nash

Principal

Mrs Nicole Smith | Head of Primary

Cross Country

Although somewhat soggy ground, our students still competed with determination and gusto. Some running 3kms and some running 4-5 kms. Well done to the teachers, check point marshals and Mr Lambert for another successful carnival. Thank you also to all of the parents who assisted on the day.

Mother's Day Stall

Thank you to our Grade parents and parents/grandparent helpers for doing such a wonderful job in sorting, wrapping, pricing and selling to our very excited Primary students.

Mother's Day Cuppa

Once again the weather did not co-operate, but this did not dampen the spirits of our mums and special ladies in our community as we gathered together. Muffins, cookies and handmade flowers were shared with love and served with tea, coffee and hot chocolate by our students. Thank you to all who made a cold and wet morning so delightful.

We wish all of the mums and grandmas a very happy Mother's Day this Sunday.

Head of School Awards

Congratulations to these students for receiving the Head of School Award in Week 3:

Vivienne H, KDL; Artley S, KG; Hallie H, KJ; Alison H, 1PH; Savannah G, 1B; Nash P, 2D; Savannah H, 2P; Conor M, 3D; Daniel H, 3B; Hamish G, 4B; Lachlan B, 4M; Lani G, 4G; Ellen B, 5P; Cameron Y, 5L; Eadi R, 6M; Emily B, 6S; Cherise D, 6T.

Welcome Band

Welcome Band began this week with around 12 students picking up an instrument for the first time. Welcome Band and tuition occurs on Tuesdays with Mr Brendan Burlach. We look forward to hearing them perform for us in the future. For more information click on this link.

Choir – Thursday Mornings 8:00am

Our Primary Choir has begun, but it is not too late to join. Any students interested in singing together from Years 1-6 are welcome to join. Choir will be before school each Thursday morning at 8:00am. Students will meet at CAPA 5 (Secondary School Drama Theatre). Please be aware that there is no playground supervision for siblings of these students until 8:15am.

Mother's Day Cards for Hammond Care Residents

Thank you to our Year 4 students that made beautiful Mother's Day cards for the residents at Hammond Care, Woy Woy.

AEDC – Australian Early Development Census

This week our school, along with thousands of others across the country will begin preparations for the fifth Australian Early Development Census (AEDC).This census is completed on our Kindergarten students.

The AEDC gives us a national picture of the development, health and wellbeing of children in their first year of full-time school. Since 2009, the census results have helped communities, schools and governments plan services and develop better policies to target support for children and families.

Children don’t miss any class time, and parents/carers don’t need to supply schools with any new information for the census. The AEDC gives us data at a school and community level - it isn’t an assessment of individual children.

AEDC Parent Poster

AEDC Parent Poster 2.09 MB

NAPLAN 2021 Test Schedule

WEEK 4, Tuesday 11- Friday 14 May and WEEK 5, Monday 17 May

NB: All tests are ONLINE except Year 3 Writing.

Yr

Tuesday 11 May

Wednesday 12 May

Thursday 13 May

Friday 14 May

Monday 17 May

3B (J1R3)

3D (J1R4)

Writing (Paper)

9am (40 minutes)

Reading

9am (45 minutes)

Conv. of Language

9am (45 minutes)

Numeracy

9am (45 minutes)

No testing

5L(J1R3)

5P(J1R4)

Writing

9am (42 minutes)

Reading

9am (50 minutes)

Conv. of Language

9am (45 minutes)

Numeracy

9am (50 minutes)

No testing

11 May marks the commencement of the National Assessment Program - Literacy and Numeracy. Whilst I am sure our students will do their very best, it is important to remember that these tests are merely a snapshot of what students can demonstrate at the time of testing.

NAPLAN is one marker of a student’s current ability and performance in Reading, Writing, Conventions of Language and Numeracy. The online platform will direct students along different pathways according to the answers provided meaning that not all students will be exposed to the exact same questions. Ultimately, this approach attempts to allow for a variety of students with varying capabilities to show what they know without providing a ceiling. However, this also means that all students will get to a stage where they are no longer able to answer confidently and may not know how to complete questions at all. This is OK. This is the student’s "where to next?" point.

These assessments do not tell us everything there is to know about a student. They do not indicate that a student has improved on something that they found difficult or that they demonstrate perseverance and grit when completing a difficult task. They don’t indicate a student’s social and emotional capabilities, that they are caring, reliable, courageous or organised, thoughtful and dependable.

Please encourage your Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 students that NAPLAN is just one small piece of their puzzle. It does not measure potential, creativity or character, nor reflect God’s perfect plan for their life.

The testing time is 40 - 50 minutess and will be conducted each morning in the students' classes with their regular teacher present. As the testing window is from 11 - 21 May, students who are away will sit the test when they return the following week.

Mr Peter McLellan | Head of Secondary

I trust all our mums will have a great Mother's Day. I hope you feel well looked after by your children with at least burnt toast and tea in bed. You are so important to the wellbeing of your children - may God bless you through this year.

Winter is coming …

Just a reminder to get all the warm aspects of your child’s uniform ready as the temperature is dropping, and the storms are blowing.

Year 8 "Cyberia" Presentation

On Thursday 13 May during Period 1, all Year 8 students will view a presentation from Brainstorm Productions which explores online safety, cyber bullying, resilience and mental health.

Cyberia online safety education program covers:

Cyber Bullying	Digital Citizenship	Social Media
Online Privacy & Security	Depression & Anxiety	Help-seeking
Social Isolation	Responsible Use of Technology	Gaming
Impulse Control	Digital Reputation	Cyber Safety

Year 10 Japanese Class

Our Year 10 students studying Japanese experience Shibori in their class. Shibori is a Japanese manual resist dyeing technique, which produces patterns on fabric. The students were pleased with their efforts. Thank you Mrs Gibbins for allowing the class to use the amazing textiles space, and for assisting throughout the process.

Commendation Assembly

Congratulations to all the students who received awards at our Secondary Commendation Assembly.

Mother's Day Cards for Hammond Care Residents

Thank you to Mrs Kratochvil's Year 7 EQUIP class for making Mother's Day cards to bless residents at Hammond Care.

NAPLAN 2021 Test Schedule

WEEK 4, Tuesday 11- Friday 14 May and WEEK 5, Monday 17 May

NB: All tests are ONLINE

Tuesday 11 May

Wednesday 12 May

Thursday 13 May

Friday 14 May

Monday 17 May

No testing

Writing

Pd 2 (42 minutes)

7P- H3

7R- E10

7W- E4

7Y- E8

Reading

Pd 1 (65 minutes)

7P- A2

7R- B2

7W- E4

7Y- A3

Conv. of Language

Pd 2 (45 minutes)

7P- E1

7R- B2

7W- C2

7Y- C3

Numeracy

Pd 2 (65 minutes)

7P- H3

7R- CA 2

7W- E8

7Y- CA 1

No Testing

Writing

Pd 2 (42 minutes)

9P- H4

9R- H1

9W- C2

9Y- H6

Reading

Pd 1 (65 minutes)

9P- E5

9R- C3

9W- E1

9Y - E3

Conv. of Language

Pd 3 (45 minutes)

9P- E5

9R- C3

9W- E1

9Y - E3

Numeracy

Pd 2 (65 minutes)

9P- A3

9R- A1

9W- B2

9Y- A2

11 May marks the commencement of the National Assessment Program - Literacy and Numeracy.

Key to any test is for every student to their best. Their value does not come from a mark or result in a test but from the God who created them uniquely in both character, ability and talent.

Whilst I am sure our students will do their very best, it is important to remember that these tests are merely a snapshot of what students can demonstrate at the time of testing. NAPLAN is one marker of a student’s current ability and performance in Reading, Writing, Conventions of Language and Numeracy. The online platform will direct students along different pathways according to the answers provided, meaning that not all students will be exposed to the exact same questions. Ultimately, this approach attempts to allow for a variety of students with varying capabilities to show what they know without providing a ceiling. However, this also means that all students will get to a stage where they are no longer able to answer confidently and may not know how to complete questions at all. This is OK. This is the student’s "where to next?" point.

NAPLAN gives only a small picture of each student and where they are at, but it is very limited and does not measure ultimate potential, resilience, determination, organisation and character. It definitely does not measure God’s love and plans for each student’s life.

As the testing window is from 11 - 21 May, students who are away will sit the test when they return the following week.

Reminder: Please ensure MacBooks are charged, students have ear buds/ headphones etc.

This week’s Careers Newsletter has information about various courses/work some of our 2020 Year 12 students have pursued this year after having left school.

For more details, please see this week's Careers Newsletter or visit the "Student Careers" section on the GPCC College website.

EARLY ENTRY PROGRAMS 2021

Mr David Russell

Curriculum Co-ordinator (7-12) | Student Advisor (7-12)

Nathan Lambert | K-12 Sport Co-ordinator

Primary and Secondary Cross Country Carnival

The weather was looking ominous leading up to the day of the Cross Country, but we were able to get through all of our Primary and Secondary events. Though it rained slightly on and off during the day, it was a great day for running.

There were some amazing races during the day. It was fantastic to see the students push themselves out of their comfort zone, to see what they had left after running their race distance. Watching Year 2 students run the entire course was inspirational; seeing our 14yr Boy leaders diving at the finish line, with less than 5cm splitting them from 1^st and 2^nd, was just superb; and being able to observe the phenomenal talent of runners we have at this school who tore up the course at 4km/min pace.

Here are our 2021 Cross Country Age Champions for both Primary and Secondary. These students will not only receive their award at a Chapel/Commendation Service (parents will be notified when this will occur), but they will also all be competing at the Zone Cross Country Carnival on Tuesday 18 May at Hylton Moore Oval.

Primary Cross Country Age Champions

	1^st Place	2^nd Place	3^rd Place	4^th Place
GIRLS
8/9yrs Girls	Zara L	Sophie C	Emily C	Avalon R
10yrs Girls	Jessica W	Khloe M	Jiya M	Penny L
11yrs Girls	Zoe C	Anna-Lucia R	Elianna S	Michele R-C
12yrs Girls	Emily F	Bronte M	Sienna F	Ayla D
BOYS
8/9yrs Boys	Nash P	Tatum C	Finlay W	Louis A
10yrs Boys	Luca W	Jaxon H	Miller P	Noah W
11yrs Boys	Chase C	Jacob L	Joshua F	Fletcher J
12yrs Boys	Oliver C	Lewis T	Finn D	Chase P

Secondary Cross Country Age Champions

	1^st Place	2^nd Place	3^rd Place	4^th Place
GIRLS
12yrs Girls	Katie E	Ariella N
13yrs Girls	Megan L	Siena D C	Felicity R	Ava L
14yrs Girls	Jessie B	Olivia F	Savannah D	Milly B
15yrs Girls	Tahlia H	Poppie B	Ondine W	Jessica H
16yrs Girls	Codie W	Sinaed W	Eloise S	Angelique A
BOYS
12yrs Boys	Yarik K
13yrs Boys	Raj S	Johnny L	Kaiden L	Charlie M
14yrs Boys	Henry C	Caleb N	Zac J	Ryan B
15yrs Boys	Wade B	Sanjay S	Travis G	Hamish W
16yrs Boys	Logan L	Luke F	Blair S	Mark L
17/18yrs Boys	Luke B	Harry B	Arden C	Lewis B

THACCCSA Gala Day in Tamworth

Recently four GPCC soccer teams journeyed to Tamworth to compete at the THACCCSA Soccer Gala Day. The competition was fierce, with many opponents playing at Rep and State League levels. The day began with only two of our teams winning their first match. However, by the end of the group stage, all four teams had progressed through to the semi-finals. Unfortunately, Mr Yule’s Junior Boys did not reach the Final but played a hard-fought match. Mrs Kirk’s Junior Girls team, who had managed to train only once, whizzed through the semi-final, but unfortunately lost the Grand Final to a very strong team. They ought to be congratulated on their success despite the setbacks. The Senior Boys team, coached by former student Luke Moody, narrowly won their final 1-0 and didn’t concede a single goal throughout the entire competition. Well done boys! The Senior girls (coached by Mr Masters) also won their final in a penalty shootout with our goalie, who had never played the position prior, saving several of the opposition’s spot kicks. Each team’s achievements are significant and the players should be extremely proud of their efforts. The two Senior teams will now represent the school at the next level in Penrith in June. More importantly, the way the students represented the school in attitude and behaviour was outstanding.

Lastly, a many thanks to Carinya Christian School who generously hosted our stay and to the many parents who travelled out to support the teams. Hopefully next year there will be an even greater parent representation and some even better results to go alongside.

Bill Turner Cup (Football)

Our Secondary U15 Boys Soccer team, fresh from their excellent performance last week at the Zone Gala Day in Tamworth, played in the first knockout game of the Bill Turner Cup.

They play Kariong Mountains High School on Wednesday afternoon in cold and wet conditions. The game was played at a quick pace, with Kariong jumping to an early 2-0 lead with some early goals.

Green Point fought back and pressured Kariong’s goal throughout the first half. With the game in the balance, they needed to score and did so through Tim S, who gave them a chance.

Unfortunately, time ran out and our boys went down 3-1 in a gallant effort. Well done to our U15 team for backing up after Tamworth and putting in another solid performance.

Primary Boys AFL Team

The Paul Kelly Cup is a large competition held in NSW for Primary Schools wanting to compete in an AFL competition.

Our Primary Boys AFL team, very keen to compete in this competition, finally had the chance to play on Wednesday in one of the Central Coast Competitions.

Our boys were definitely fired up and went into every game focused on performing to the best of their ability as a team … and they did exactly that. They played a total of four games throughout the day, winning all convincingly.

This is a superb effort by our boys and congratulations on such a dominant effort. They will hopefully progress to the Central Coast Regionals which will be held in several weeks’ time.

Mrs Nicole van Wyk | Teacher Librarian

Story Time for Pre-schoolers

We meet for stories, craft and fun in the Library at 9:00am on Monday mornings during the school term. This is a fun time for pre-schoolers and their parents. Parents will need to sign in at the office. Please sanitise hands as you enter the Library. We look forward to seeing you there. Click this link for Story Time schedule for Term 2.

Book Club

Issue 3 orders close today, Friday 7 May. Please finalise your orders.

National Simultaneous Storytime- Wednesday 19 May

Give Me Some Space by Philip Bunting is this year’s chosen book. It will be read by astronauts from the International Space Station. K-2 Students will have a live reading and activities. To celebrate this event Week 5 is Space week in the Library with colouring, craft, activities and displays.

Learn from Play

A colouring competition leading up to NSS, entries must be received by 5:00pm on 19 May.

https://learnfromplay.com/nss2021/ . There will be copies of the colouring sheet in the Library Week 4 but finished entries need to be uploaded to win prizes.

Space Lego Challenge

Students can sign up this week in the Library for Week 5 Space Lego challenge.

Screen_Shot_2021_05_04_at_11.09.00_am.png

Positions Vacant

GREEN POINT CHRISTIAN COLLEGE

A ministry of Green Point Baptist Church

Our mission is “Equipped for Life”

HEAD OF HSIE - TEACHING POSITION

Permanent Full Time – to commence Term 3 2021

We are currently seeking to appoint an experienced Secondary School Human Society and Its Environment (HSIE) teacher to the position of Head of HSIE on a permanent full time basis, to commence Term 3 2021.

For full details and criteria regarding the position, please refer to the full Job Description available on the College website, along with prospectus and application form at this link.

The successful applicant for the above position must be a committed Christian and be prepared to work under the ethos of our College.

Applications close on Wednesday 12 May 2021 and are to be submitted online via the application form.

__________________________________________________________

CLEANER (casual)

We are seeking a focused and energetic self-starter to provide casual cleaning services to cover existing cleaning staff on leave, hence this work is on an “on call” basis.

Reporting to the Cleaning Supervisor, your duties would include general cleaning to assist in the daily operations of the College.

The successful applicant must be a committed Christian and be prepared to work under the ethos of our College. Full Job Description, Prospectus and Application Form are available on the website www.gpcc.nsw.edu.au

Applications must be received via the College website by completing the General Staff Application Form (https://www.gpcc.nsw.edu.au/work-with-us/employment-information).

Applications close on Wednesday 12 May 2021.

____________________________________________________

BUS DRIVER (casual)

Applications are invited for a suitably qualified and experienced bus driver to commence immediately, on a casual basis. A LR licence is a requirement to drive our 25 seater Mitsubishi Rosa buses, and ideally a MR licence will be required for our larger bus.

The successful applicant must be a committed Christian and be prepared to work under the ethos of our College. Prospectus and Application Form are available on the website www.gpcc.nsw.edu.au

Applications must be received via the College website by completing the General Staff Application Form (https://www.gpcc.nsw.edu.au/work-with-us/employment-information).

Applications close on Wednesday 19 May 2021.

Kindergarten Information Session - 10 May 2021

Our next Kindergarten Information Session is on Monday 10 May from 9:00am. This is for all parents/carers of students planning to start Kindergarten in 2022 or 2023. Come and hear from our Head of Primary, and Director of Enrichment, and enjoy a short tour of our Primary campus. Pre-school children are welcome to attend and will be invited to join in our Storytime program running concurrently in our Library.

Registrations are essential on the link below.

Green Point Christian College GPCC | Kindergarten Information Session

To the Point Lecture Series - with Dr Graham Pratt

Tuesday 22 June:

7:30pm - 9:00pm

Following the excellent evening we shared with Dr Luke Barnes to launch the To The Point Lecture Series, we are pleased to announce our next lecture scheduled for Tuesday 22 June, 7.30pm to 9:00pm.

For our next lecture, To The Point are pleased to be hosting Dr Graham Pratt, addressing "The Rise of China: Challenges for USA and Australia".

You can learn more about Dr Pratt and to register via our website event page.

Private Music Tuition

Green Point Christian College has a vibrant Music Tutor Program offering tuition in a wide range of instruments, and catering from the beginner to the advanced student.

Please visit our website below to download an electronic enrolment form to complete and email to the College. This can be downloaded and filled in electronically using Adobe Acrobat (note that internet browser PDF readers will reduce functionality and include the digital signature option).

Alternatively you can download and print the brochure and return to the College Reception.

Thank you Kincumber Rotary

Following the very successful Christmas Tree sale last December Rotary members Mr Dent and Mr Simpson delivered a donation of $500 towards our College projects yesterday.

Our Principal Mr Nash received the cheque which will go towards the development of a Multi-Disciplinary Discovery Trail Project on our site here at GPCC. This project is currently planning the development of a trail which will incorporate a bush tucker and Aboriginal learning site, a yarning circle outdoor classroom, a series of fitness stations, and activity and observation points for other subject areas such as Geography and Science.

This $500 from Rotary will help greatly as the project builds momentum, and is in addition to the regular donation from Rotary that assists with other school initiatives. We look forward to hosting Kincumber Rotary again this Christmas, and for other events in 2022.

GPCC Alumni

We would love to connect with our Alumni/Past students and hear about your careers, expertise, professional interests and passions.

To connect with other Alumni follow us on GPCC Alumni LinkedIn, click on this link

Email your stories to community@gpcc.nsw.edu.au

Sex Education in the Cyber-world with Dr Patricia Weerakoon

Thursday 10 June 7:30pm - 9:30pm

Primary and Secondary parents are invited to attend, there will be time for questions and answers.

For more information and to register please click on link:

Green Point Christian College GPCC | Sex education in the Cyber-world…

Photo: Dr Patricia Weerakoon

School Lost Property

fashion_umbrella_lost_property_lost_property_booth_fashion_sheep_crowd_mfln2949_low.jpg

Please label your child's school clothing and other items clearly as we have an abundance of unnamed uniform items in the College office.

Uniform Shop

Normal Operating Times

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday during the school term:

8:30am - 11:00am

(Closed Wednesdays)

Afternoons by appointment only. Contact (02) 4367 9954.

gpcc@alinta.com.au

Munchery News

The Munchery is open for business every day from 8:00am – 2:00pm and accept lunch orders from students and staff across the counter and also electronically.

Lunch orders can be placed online each morning prior to 8:30am.

The Munchery have partnered with Munch Monitor (www.munchmonitor.com) to provide an online ordering and payment system. Parents access this system by browsing the Munch Monitor site at https://www.munchmonitor.com

Username: greenpoint Password: munch2251

Canteen Menu 2021 Winter

Canteen Menu 2021 Winter 535.56 KB

EXTEND 2021 (Before and After School Care)

Snapshots and News Bites May 2021

Snapshots and News Bites May 2021 306.46 KB

Central Coast Ferries - Woy Woy to Saratoga

Click on this link for more details.

Transport NSW Complaints

We encourage parents to report issues to Transport NSW, please click on following link: Feedback, questions and complaints | transportnsw.info

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 Trader

Davistown Waterfront Markets - Buskers needed

Davistown Waterfront markets are looking for young buskers who would like to gain some experience. Contact Nicole at info@createevents.net

Free Workshops for Parents and Supervisors of Learner Drivers - commencing 13 May

Click on this link for more details.

Cartoon Workshops

For more information on cartoon workshops by Cartoon Kingdom please click on this link.

If you would like to place an advertisement in the Green Point Trader, please email details to Justine Collins at newsletter@gpcc.nsw.edu.au

Green Point Baptist Church

Church Service times
9:30am – Worship Centre
6:00pm – Jacaranda Room

MyZone Olympics

Thrive

Attention Years 7-12 - Green Point Youth

Green Point Youth is held on Friday nights 7:30pm - 9:30pm on Friday nights.

Website: www.gpbc.net.au

Facebook: www.facebook.com/greenpointbaps/

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 jcollins@gpcc.nsw.edu.au for consideration of inclusion in The Messenger.

Coming up this week

Monday, 10 May

Kindergarten Information Morning in Library

Tuesday, 11 May