A Joyful End of Term and the Meaning of Christmas
The final weeks of Term 4 have been some of the busiest of the whole term in Junior School. We have had our annual Christmas Concert showcasing our music and drama ensembles across the College and the Junior School Fun Day (kindly donated by our fabulous P and F). The Fun Day was a great opportunity for every child from Prep to Year 6 to spend time participating in a range of fun games and activities on the oval. I would like to thank Mr Przydacz and the P and F for their work in organising this day. Many children came up to me in the playground after their session on the oval, telling me how much fun they had. We are also farewelling our Year 6 students as they complete their primary school years and are looking forward to the Celebration Assemblies on Tuesday next week where we will reflect on the year we have had together.
I was teaching our youngest students in Prep this week about the wise men who were curious about the new star they saw in the sky, and (realising that it signified a momentous event) followed it to Jerusalem to the palace of the king. When they arrived and questioned the reigning king, Herod, he expressed surprise at the news of a new king. While professing to want to know where the new king was, under the guise of wanting to worship him too, Herod was actually planning to do what needed to be done to remove this threat to his rule. God intervened, and after the wise men followed the star to Bethlehem and found Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus, they returned home another way and avoided speaking with Herod.
These wise men were international scholars who recognised the significance of the birth of this baby king. They brought with them gifts appropriate for a king and acknowledged Jesus as their king. I have a Christmas card that says “Wise men still seek him” which is a reminder to me of those first wise men and their curiosity and relentless pursuit of understanding that led them to visit a baby in Bethlehem over 2000 years ago.
As we head into the Christmas break, I would like to encourage you to re-examine your thinking about that baby. If you would like to know more, perhaps you could visit one of our local churches this Christmas – I encourage you to do this. I pray that all our families and staff have a restful and safe holiday and return to College ready to learn in the new year.
God bless,
Mrs Jenny Squire
Deputy Principal – Head of Junior School
Sport
3-6 College Sport
Unfortunately, we experienced heatwave conditions on Wednesday, Week 7, which meant running the House Cup competition wasn’t safe. Although this was disappointing, we all appreciated staying inside with the air conditioning on that day! I want to thank every student for excellently participating in College Sport throughout the year! I also want to thank all the teachers who have taught and assisted with College Sport, working together to make this program enjoyable for our students so that every student can find the sport they love and enjoy the benefits of regular physical activity.
Year 1 Swimming Program
On Thursday, Week 7, the Year 1 Swimming Program concluded. This is the most important part of our College Sport program in Junior School, as the swimming skills these students are learning could save their lives. In Australia, so many children drown each year, so it is essential that every child knows how to swim. This program will run for the next few weeks and will equip these students with the critical skills to swim and survive in the pool and other bodies of water. I want to thank the Year 1 teachers, who looked after our students exceptionally well at their Swimming program this term!
TAR Asian Qualifiers
During the week we heard some amazing news! Liam in Year 5 has been selected in the Australian team for the TAR Asian Qualifiers later this month! This is the highest level of soccer for children of Liam’s age. This is a huge honour for Liam and reflects his excellent work ethic and amazing skill! We are so proud of him and wish him all the best over the summer holidays. We look forward to hearing how he goes and reporting back about it next year!
CSSA and CIS Nominations
From time to time, the College can nominate some of our exceptional athletes to trial for CSSA or CIS representative teams. These teams are selected for high level representative competitions, drawing from almost 100 schools across NSW. If you would like the College to nominate your child for one of these events, please follow the procedure below:
- Go to the CSSA website to see the list and dates of these trials (cssa.net.au)
- Email me (jbarber@opac.nsw.edu.au), expressing your child’s interest, background, and skills in the sport
- If they fit the requirements of the trials, I will nominate them to attend
- Attend the trials with your child
God bless,
Mr Joshua Barber
Junior School Sports Coordinator
