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A bi-annual publication of Charlton Christian College.
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I S S U E 1 1 2 0 1 4
TRIP TO NEPAL: PAGE 4 BRAINY KIDS: PAGE 12 MEMORY LANE: PAGE 13 PARENTING MATTERS: PAGE 16
P 02 4959 9111 F 02 4959 9188 E [email protected]
Email our Principal Sue Skuthorpe: [email protected]
Email Michelle if you would like to receive the College newsletters: [email protected]
LIFE is the bi-annual publication produced for the families and wider community of Charlton Christian College.
Design Mezzanine-media www.mezzaninemedia.com.au
Editors Vicki Gunning and Michelle Thornton
Charlton Christian College 43 Fassifern Road Fassifern PO Box 605 Toronto NSW 2283
Welcome to the Semester 1 Issue of LIFE for 2014. How we have grown! Charlton started with 53 students in 1999 and 16 years on now have just over 650!
In this edition we reflect on where we have been and look ahead to what the future holds. We take stock of the old, fondly remembering ‘the good old days’ and appreciating the foundation on which Charlton was built.
We celebrate the new, welcome change, strive to be innovative, and acknowledge that we are all a work in progress; ever changing, always growing as a College, as a community, as a family and as individuals.
We also take a look at the time our staff and students spent as part of ‘schoolies’ last year serving some of the poor and
Welcome from the Editors
marginalised in Nepal. This article alone is a reflection of God’s grace and of our students’ responses to injustice and the desperate need in the world.
Thank you to everyone who has journeyed with us over the years. We truly value you and your family and the time you have poured into Charlton. We look forward to seeing the next stage of Charlton’s story unfold.
For anyone reading not familiar with Charlton, please contact us if you would like more information. As always, we are happy to receive your feedback. We’d love to hear from you by emailing us at [email protected]
Vicki Gunning and Michelle Thornton
Our VisionCharlton Christian College aims to provide affordable Christian education which develops all students in a Godly way towards a perceptive, critical (discerning) and compassionate understanding of the society in which we live.
We aim to help our students to develop ‘wisdom’, which can be described as the ability to look at and respond to LIFE from God’s perspective. We believe that this is best achieved through grounding in the Word of God toward a lifestyle which expresses the values and attitudes contained in the Bible.
College CornerstonesLove Demonstrating God’s love within a merciful and just community.
Integrity Building character and excellence through courageous discipleship.
Faith Growing a people of hope, freedom and wisdom through confidence in the Work of Jesus Christ.
Empowerment Developing a body of passionate and radical Christians, ready to transform their world.
Our MissionCharlton Christian College will strive to provide Christ-focused education of excellence, within a positive, creative and caring community.
Last year was Charlton’s Fifteenth Birthday. A great deal has happened in the intervening years. When we look at all of these wonderful achievements there is much room for celebration. The College has grown to over 650; we have wonderful, highly trained staff; we are now a K-12 school receiving ever-improving results across the College in NAPLAN and HSC; our Christian focus continues to be strong; the foundation for who we are and what we do.
When we look back we are aware of the story that has been written by so many people; College leaders from its founders through to the current leadership team; many committed staff; and amazingly supportive families.
However, we must not become complacent. As Abraham Lincoln said, “The best way to predict your future is to create it”. At Charlton, we don’t want to predict our future. Together we want to write the story of Charlton’s future.
Together we want to create a dynamic learning environment which will assist our students to expand their academic, sporting, creative, and leadership potential, as well as their God
given gifts. We want to equip them for a life of service to their community. We want to see our young people thrive in an ever-changing global world.
At Charlton we desire to form students who are confident to take their place in society; to make a difference for the better in terms of sustainability, cultural sensitivity and social awareness. We want to create a College which looks inward to educate and care for the students who walk through its doors. We want our students then to look outwards in service to both the local community and also our mission partners in various countries around the world. Together, we want to look upwards to the God who created us and sent His Son to die for us; who empowers us to live from day to day.
This all takes planning, prayer and persistence. We look forward to our parents and other supporters sharing with us to write the story of our future. Thanks for joining us on the Charlton journey.
Sue Skuthorpe
03
A word from our
Principal
Creating the next stage;Charlton’s journey to the future
“We want to create a College which looks inward to educate
and care... students who look outward in service... and
together we want to look upward
to God”.
“The best way to predict your
future is to create it”.
Abraham Lincoln
03 ISSUE ELEVEN 2014
A Future of HopeMission Trip to Nepal - 2013
I was really keen for this mission trip and was counting down the weeks, then days till we left. There had been fundraising efforts within the school and by my church to assist in providing money to the team that could be spent improving the lives of the rescued Nepalese girls.The girls were born into the Badi tribe. Badi is part of a Hindu caste system and belongs to the group known as “the untouchables”. People who are born higher up in the caste system don’t even want to live downwind from Badi’s or untouchables as the higher born believe they can be infected just by breathing air the Badi people breathe.
What has become ingrained in the Badi caste system is the role of the woman. Girls are not valued because they are seen as a commodity. Parents sell their daughters into the human trafficking industry. Parents know that their daughters will be working in brothels mainly in India, or anywhere else the girls’ new owner takes them. The work is always in the sex industry. These young girls (some as young as 8, most between 10-12 when first placed in the industry) are completely powerless. They are drugged, half-starved and kept naked (this is to arouse customers as well as prevent escape). All of these things are done to them to keep them under control. If they do try to escape they are violently beaten to prevent further escape attempts. One young girl I met had parts of her skull enlarged from being beaten and electrocuted after complaining about a customer. She was 12 years old at the time of that incident.
Fortunately a beautiful Nepalese man, Pastor Raju, was sick of witnessing young girls disappearing from their homes and nothing being done to stop it or to return them home. Pastor Raju was born into the Hindu caste system, so he too, was also an untouchable. The girls finally have a champion. Pastor Raju alongside retired Christian School Principal Graham Kerr, is now fully committed to the establishing of hostels, education and vocational training for the Badi girls who have been rescued.The hostels are so well run. The girls are genuinely happy. Previously they had to ‘work’ (their term for the sex industry) and they hated it. The number of men each girl saw each day was extraordinary. The girls now have their own bed. They now have 2-3 meals per day, they attend school 6 days a week and they are becoming bi-lingual, learning English alongside their traditional languages. The older girls, who have completed school, commence vocational training. Graham is even developing his own industries to provide employment for the girls.
Nearly all of the girls have converted to Christianity. Most have taken new names from the Bible. It is a revelation to them that God loves them as they are used to hearing about the condemnation of punishing gods. They previously believed in reincarnation and believed they had done something bad in a previous life, and that’s why they were being punished in this life by being low born.Now the girls have hope for the future. It is possible for them to consider a career path and then plan the steps required to reach this career. They are well loved, possibly for the first time in their lives. They have enough food, and value education as they know it’s the key to the future.God’s love and mercy is evident in the lives of the girls. These beautiful girls were in an unbelievably horrible, dark and evil situation. God’s love can penetrate the darkest of places. It began as a small crack. Now the whole situation has been blown wide open. The future for these girls is hopeful not hopeless, thanks to God and his wonderful plans for us.
By Mrs Danielle Adamo (Senior School Teacher)
05 ISSUE SEVEN 2012
Traveling to Nepal on a mission trip during the
last few weeks of my school life, changed and
shaped me into a completely new person. I formed
relationships with the people of Nepal and got
a small but moving experience of how they live
and survive. The highlight of my trip was when
we got to work in a hostel, painting. I will never
forget talking to a girl who shared her dreams of
becoming a doctor and moving out of her country
to start a better life for herself. She went on to
tell me that in her culture she had been married
at the age of 15. I will never forget Sunu and her
contagious love for life. I believe through God all
things are possible.
By Haley Bancroft
The Mission Trip to Nepal was very eye opening
and heart-warming. The girls in the hostels would
call us “didi” meaning “sister” and some opened
up to us and revealed their lovely personalities.
The babies at the orphanage were adorable
and had some lovely care-takers. The whole
experience was great. I loved the country, the
people and the sights of Nepal.
By Samantha Moore
Before going to Nepal, I knew that poverty was a
reality for a great percentage of people throughout
the world. I realised this by becoming informed
by pictures and words in text books and listening
to the experiences of passionate teachers within
my schooling environment. However, witnessing
the impact it has on people’s lives first hand was
an experience incomparable to anything else. For
me the most inspiring thing about our trip to Nepal
was the hope and the love for life within the young
girls at the hostel. It made me realise that hope
and love are things that often have to be fought
for and nurtured in order for them to take root and
influence a person’s sense of self-worth.
By Amelia Kelson
Where to begin? There are not enough words to describe how incredible the trip was. Forming relationships, growing stronger in my faith, learning to be less selfish and more selfless in everyday life and simply loving those who haven’t experienced love. The Nepali people are so giving and did everything they possibly could to make us comfortable, even though they have so little. I also learnt more about the Buddhist religion. It is so devoted to gods who are dead and not real with pointless rituals, no response, no miracles and no father who loves them unconditionally. It made me realise just how lucky I am to have such an amazing God who cares and loves me no matter what. I made the greatest decision to sponsor a little four year old girl in one of the hostels. Her name is Anjali and she is absolutely gorgeous!! For many reasons I cannot wait to go back to Nepal, Anjali being one of them. I have set my hopes to go back in November this year, hopefully with the Charlton team.
By Courtney Schwarz
I really enjoyed experiencing a new culture for the first time, especially Nepal. It was really heart wrenching to see people live in complete and utter poverty, knowing that most of the money in government goes straight to the politicians instead of the infrastructure of the country and the people. I loved talking with the girls and learning about their culture, experiences and life stories. It was definitely a life experience that I will never forget. It has encouraged me to look further into missions and whether I will travel as a nurse for a few years to help in poorer countries such as Nepal.
By Ebony Jobse
05 ISSUE ELEVEN 2014
Grandparents Day
One size does not fit all when it comes to learning. In order for all children to achieve their personal best a variety of different teaching and learning models must be introduced into existing classrooms, giving students the freedom to learn at the pace and in the setting in which they will most likely succeed.
Traditional teaching styles and the ways in which children learn are regularly being called into question by teachers with an awareness of 21st Century Learning. Classroom layouts are changing and staff are now teaching technology as a native language.
Children don’t all come to school working and achieving at the same level and they don’t all learn in the same way. Charlton teachers are working hard to depart from the “one-size-fits-all approach” and to ensure that we are preparing our students for life outside of school, which is moving forward at a much faster rate than educational trends. Textbooks, four walls, pen, paper, tables and chairs are no longer standard schooling requirements. Innovation, team work, information technology and creativity are now a normal part of every child’s day.
Experts predict that 65% of our current Kindergarten population will grow up to have jobs that currently do not exist. Predicted jobs for the future include vocations such as Digital Architects, Body Part Engineers, Vertical Farmers and Waste Data Handlers. With this in mind teaching skills such as critical thinking, problem solving and entrepreneurism have become very important for children to learn. ‘Learning’ is no longer enough for our students. They must be creators and collaborators as well.
New equipment and technology in one of our Year 4 classrooms has helped contribute to a classroom which aids this. Teacher, Mr John Lucas comments on some of his new equipment saying, “Having the whiteboard tables in class gives me so much more flexibility with group learning sessions. I am able to have all students demonstrating their work at the same time, exploring a concept together, or taking turns explaining a strategy to their peers. The whiteboard wall provides a wide variety of ways to go beyond conventional teaching techniques. Brain-storming sessions are much more engaging with student groups able to write their thoughts down simultaneously and bounce ideas off each other in the process. Having an interactive wall space also provides me with new ways to engage and involve students in what was previously limited to being a one-at-a-time, ‘watch-and-learn’ type teaching tool. This new classroom environment is inspiring to work in!”
By Vicki Gunning and John Lucas (Junior School Staff)
Innovation and CreativityMoving Forward
It’s different, and I like different – it makes
school more interesting. - Ashleigh Killian
I like the whiteboard wall
because you never run out
of room for things. If you
have a really big list you
have lots of room to put it.
- Crystal Eade
Just being able to write
on a table, is awesome!
- Lauren Potter
I love having a whiteboard
table, it’s like a massive
sheet of paper to work out
your maths strategies on.
- Lachlan Robertson
When we’re doing maths
the tables are really useful.
Normally you’d have a piece
of paper but now that we’ve
got whiteboard tables you
don’t have to worry about
getting scrap paper out.
- Ashton Haak
07 ISSUE ELEVEN 2014
Coaching
By Tammy Perrim (Acting Head of Middle School)
Charlton Middle School is unlike any other. It is strategically placed
between Junior and Senior School to act as a bridge, linking two very
different styles of teaching and learning. Our aim is to manage change and
nurture students through the time of tremendous growth and development
known as ‘The Middle Years’ of schooling.
Here two key questions are presented to young adolescents:
1. Who am I?
2. Where do I fit in?
As children start to explore the world with increasing independence, they
ponder and sometimes struggle to find identity that is truly their own.
Just as in a hand-crafted mosaic each piece is unique, so we believe
every student is unique. The Bible says that each of us are fearfully and
wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14) and that we have eternal purpose (Eph
3:11). In Middle School, students are given opportunities to explore their
individual gifts and talents, strengths and personality traits. This has never
been more evident than through our FUEL program which encourages
students to investigate what they are good at and pursue their passions.
In a mosaic each individual piece is carefully placed and fits together
perfectly. We find purpose when we live in community. The Bible tells us
to love and encourage one another, to rejoice together and to bear each
other’s burdens. The Middle School Core class design fosters a sense of
community with a Core teacher overseeing the nurture and well-being of
each child.
Jesus is the centre. This is represented by the
single cross. Acts 17:28 says that ‘in Him we
live and move and have our being.’ He holds the
universe in His hands and without Him we can do
nothing of any great value.
When we focus on a single mosaic piece, we
appreciate difference and see intrinsic value.
When we look at the bigger picture we see a work of great beauty beyond
what we imagined. We recognise that God is the great designer and the
glue that binds us all together.
As a staff we are united in purpose, dedicated to meet the many and varied
needs of students in this age range. The students feel a sense of belonging
to a place that is specifically designed to cater to their needs; a place where
they can be free to grow and learn and make mistakes. Ultimately, to be
certain that there is a God who loves them and gave himself for them...
no matter what.
Middle School MosaicUnique and United
Scrapbooking
Surfing
Missions
Sewing
European Sports
Cooking
Music Therapist / MusicianMr Samild
Peugeot Car Factory (England) / Floor Supervisor and Toy Tester for Toys R Us/ Children’s Pastor
Mrs Gunning
Baker
Mr Warren
Sales AssistantMrs Famham
Tutor / Disability Support Worker / Dental Assistant
Mrs Adamo
Commercial Artist / Manager of Corporate and Commercial Catering
Business in Sydney / Dancer
Mrs McLean
Cleaner
Ms Rees
Coaching and Hospitality Mr Mathias
Industrial ChemistMrs Casey
IGA (Register and Deli)Miss Farleigh
WaitressMrs Lawrence
Minister
Mr Feeney
Life Before Teaching
Tree Lopper
Youth Leader
Farm worker
Police Officer
Short term missionary in Japan
Madame Mason
Assistant Manager of Bar, Coffee Shop and Restaurant / Service Supervisor at
Woolworths / Guitar Teacher
Mrs Dunquemin
Illustrator
Mr East
Service Station Consoler OperatorMr Burns
Retail
Mr Welburn
Mr Doel
Mr Everett
Mr Williams
Mr Hannam
WaitressMrs Perrim
After School Care and Sound TechnicianMr Adamthwaite
Debt CollectorMr Wilton
Sales Assistant / Insurance SalesMrs Hartgers
Sports Management at Charlestown Indoor Sports
Mr Lalor
Sales and Marketing
Mr Stackhouse
Bank Teller and Youth WorkerMr Haig
Cleaner / CourierMr Jenkins
Child Sponsorship (World Vision)Mrs Gould
MinisterMr Chadwick
Energy Australia Call Centre
Mrs Kellahan
Sales AssistantMrs Coutet
Butcher / Truck Driver / Sales Assistant
/ Freelance Artist / Industrial Designer /
Graphic Designer / Sign writer / Sales
Manager
Mr Geach
Administration - Department of EducationMrs Randall
Sales Assistant / Disability Care
for Teenagers
Mr Lucas
Photography Lab AssistantMrs Foster
Who Would Have Thought?
ISSUE ELEVEN 201409
Under
Facing Junior School
Development
The new College Administration and Staff Building
is now under construction by Artel Constructions
Proprietary Limited. All going well, and with fine
weather, we hope to have occupancy of the
building at the end of Term 1, 2015.
The building is two stories in height and 1500
square metres in size. A building of this proportion
will enable all staff to be accommodated under
the one roof.
The ground floor will house all administrative
services and offices, including a board room,
chaplain and counsellor’s offices. The first floor
will accommodate all K-12 teaching and support
staff in a large work area and staff common room.
ISSUE ELEVEN 201411
Facing Junior School Facing Current Staff Administration Building The Current Main
Administration Building
Facing Fassifern Road
Facing Basketball Court
The building has been partly funded by a
$700 000 grant from the Federal Government.
The total cost of the building project will be
almost $5.1 million.
The project costs include landscaping, a large
car park and a detention basin behind the
current Kindyland. Also included in the project
is the conversion of the existing administration
buildings. The current Staff Administration
building will house areas for Middle and
Senior School Learning Support, Careers
Advice a Senior School Study Area, classroom
and a new canteen.
The current Main Administration building will
become Junior School Learning Support,
classroom and meeting room.
While to the students this “brain test” seems to be a series of fun activities on laptops, they are actually participating in a major research project through the University of Newcastle.
This Working Memory project is being headed up by Dr Kerry Chalmers and Associate Professor Frini Karayanidis from the University’s School of Psychology. The purpose of this research is to examine the effectiveness of a newly developed test in assessing children’s working memory.
Working memory refers to the ability to temporarily store and manipulate information in the mind. We use working memory constantly in our daily life to keep goals, instructions and information active in our mind while we are completing a task. A stronger working memory means the person is able to hold and process a larger amount of information at one time.
“Current research suggests that a strong working memory is a stronger contributor to school success than a student’s IQ.”
Students use working memory in the classroom constantly. To remember and follow multiple step instructions, respond to a text they’ve read, complete Maths activities, problem solve and even copy work from the board (just to name a few). Current research suggests that a strong working memory is a stronger contributor to school success than a student’s IQ. There is some evidence, for example, that shows differences in reading ability between children may be explained by differences in working memory ability.
Being able to accurately pinpoint students struggling with working memory is an important development in the field of psychology. With the test the University of Newcastle is working on, children will be able to be identified quickly, in a fun way, as needing support in this area. It is hoped that with this information children will be aided to develop their working memory skills and improve their results in the classroom.
“Being able to accurately pinpoint students struggling with working memory is an important development in the psychology field.”
Associate Lecturer Emily Freeman and her research assistants, Leisa-Marie Pritchard and Laura Dando, spent a number of days at Charlton during the last two terms. The test they are trialling is aimed at middle childhood. For this reason Year 4 students were chosen to participate in the research. Children completed two working memory tests and their results were compared to their performance in reading, spelling and numeracy tasks.
The students’ NAPLAN results were also reviewed, and parents completed checklists to give a fuller picture of their child’s strengths and difficulties.
As well as the benefits to the research, it has been great to forge this partnership between the school and the University. The students gained a first-hand understanding of how research is conducted, while the research team commented on how important it was for them to “get out into the real world of day-to-day school activity.” It is hoped that these partnerships with the University of Newcastle can be strengthened in the future.
Charlton students have enjoyed being a part of this ground-breaking research and we look forward to seeing the results. It will be great to be able to say that we were involved in the development of a test used to help gain a better understanding of students’ working memory capacity.
“Is it time for my brain test yet?” has been a popular question in Year 4 lately.
A Trip Down Memory LaneBy Kaye Farleigh (Junior School Teacher)
Brainy Kids!
Dan East
When I arrived for my first ever day at what was then Lake Macquarie Christian College and I was
asked to drive the 12 seater bus which had almost the entire school staff on board. I made sure to
drive especially carefully that morning!
Joe Haig
I remember (not fondly), the fake green grass we had in the Junior School playground and how it
used to flood all the time when it rained. It then emitted a prawny smell for the next few days as the
fake grass dried out. Obviously there have been massive improvements to the grounds since then.
John Kroon
I remember when the lightning took out the phone system and blew up the kinder security
system. One day, the back wheel fell off one of the school buses. It overtook the bus! It sounds
funny, but we praised God for safety.
Michelle Thornton
Charlton’s first ever musical, Joseph was such a buzz. I remember feeling so proud of all that the staff and students had achieved for such a small school at that time. It was the best school production I have ever seen.
Leanne Niven
I loved watching the construction of the new Library in 2007. I remember looking on, with such excitement, as our new library building slowly emerged on the hill! This building gave us such a modern, spacious new learning environment.
Jenine Graham
The original staffroom. It was pretty much a kitchen table in a shipping container! I also remember knowing 99% of the students by name... not anymore!
Kerry Laybourn
I remember when the College put out a reward of $200 to anyone who could find a Grevillea Parviflora plant within the specified radius. Two senior girls, Jessica Laybourn and Cathy Mitchell walked through horse trails and bush tracks in Blackalls Park and found it growing prolifically in the area. A delegation from the Council confirmed it and our wonderful oval was built.
Alan Feeney
I have fond memories of my first class of fifteen, Year 7 students. We had no Library, computers
or specialist rooms so we travelled to Hunter Christian School for Science and Woodwork
lessons on Wednesday mornings and then to various sport venues for the afternoon.
Vicki Gunning
I remember toilet cleaning duties in those early years, before the College employed a
cleaner, and having 12 playground duties a week was not at all fun in that first year when
there were only three staff members to share the load.
A Trip Down Memory LaneWe asked some of our parents and long serving staff and to
share their most memorable ‘Charlton moments’.
ISSUE ELEVEN 201413
Literacy for LifeBy Chantal Casey (Head of Senior School)
This year in Senior School at Charlton we are taking a fresh
look at Literacy across all subject areas. This has been
sparked by several factors including the rise of social media,
the necessity of quality literacy skills to succeed in the current
marketplace and the fact that English is the only compulsory
subject for the Higher School Certificate.
Many students would say literacy is being able to read and
write. As a staff we take the definition further and say:
“Literacy is the ability to read, write and use written language
appropriately in a range of contexts for different purposes
and to communicate with a variety of audiences. Reading
and writing, when integrated with speaking, listening, viewing
and critical thinking, constitute valued aspects of literacy in
modern life.” -- ACT Department of Education and Training.
(2007). Every chance to learn - ACT curriculum framework for
preschool to Yr 10.
We feel that this is an expansive definition which touches on
the skills necessary for success when students graduate and
move into the adult world.
Unfortunately, with the relentless emergence of social media
basic skills in reading, writing and conversing are under threat.
Texting, messaging, snapchatting and tweeting all happen
at such a rapid pace that abbreviations and acronyms have
become the norm. This has had a devastating effect on the
writing skill levels of young people. Now, more than ever, in
an era of rapid technology advances, students need to have
highly developed literacy skills. The ability to read, interpret,
analyse and apply information is critical to success in the
21st Century workplace. Students need to develop skills in
group work, critical thinking and strategic decision making.
Developing the confidence to speak in front of groups and to
be able to eloquently articulate ideas and concepts are skills
that open doors of opportunity.
At a staff level we are involved in ongoing professional
development to ensure our approach to literacy is current,
effective and engaging for all students. This Professional
Development occurs during staff meetings and by attending
external literacy conferences. Having literacy as a focus across
all subject areas highlights its importance as we endeavour to
‘lift the bar’.
Students in Year 9 and 10 are required to complete a reading
log each night that parents are being encouraged to sign.
Developing the habit of regular reading is not only essential
for success in school but is an essential tool in pursuing a
successful career. Quality reading material is more available
than ever. Whether it is a great novel or a magazine article
students have the ability to access either hard or soft copies.
Year 11 and 12 students undertake significant amounts of
reading in completing their HSC studies. They are continually
encouraged to read widely, especially in preparing for their
English exams.
Our Senior students continue to be required to think about a
question and write a response across all subjects. A focus on
writing regularly helps break down student perceptions that
they “can’t write” or they “aren’t good writers.” Writing is a
skill that can be developed and confidence is often a key to
improving student performance in this area. Helping students
see the relevance of good writing skills often fast tracks their
desire to learn and improve. At a basic level the ability to write
in a concise, succinct fashion is essential in putting together
a solid resume for a part time or full time job. The use of word
games, online dictionaries and a thesaurus are great tools for
growing student vocabulary.
Challenging students to individually think and make choices
are critical elements in student development. Throughout
Senior School students are given opportunities to express
opinions and justify their stance. Pastoral Care Groups take
time to discuss current world issues. Having an awareness of
the global world provides another avenue for students’ critical
thinking skills to be honed. Being involved in meaningful
conversations about significant topics also assists students
to prepare for workplace situations.
The introduction of ‘My Big Campus’ across the College in
2014, also ensures that we are preparing our students to be
electronically literate and responsible. The rapid changes in
the job market necessitates a high level of computer literacy
as many of the jobs our students will move into are still
being developed.
Studies continually show that a significant factor in student
success is parental interest and involvement in their child’s
education. Parents are encouraged to talk with their children
about what they are reading and writing about and what
social media are they using. Parents need to be an advocate
for their child’s success and choose to have meaningful
conversations with them about the big questions of life.
We look forward to the exciting journey ahead as we
champion excellence in literacy across the Senior School
and encourage students to achieve their personal best in
reading, writing, speaking, and communicating in their sphere
of influence.
My Life as a Jigsaw Puzzle
I grew up in a Christian family that was stable and secure as far as I could tell. We went to church most weeks. I attended Sunday School and knew all about God. We moved around a lot due to my Dad’s work. In 1993 my parents divorced and I discovered that my Dad had cheated on my mum. I found out later that this was not the first time and that much of our moving was not so much about Dad’s work but about my Mum trying to save their marriage. To an eight year old boy, whose Dad was the world to him, this was an utterly devastating experience. After this we moved to Port Macquarie to start a new life. I had no concept until I was much older of the damage my parents’ divorce had on me or that this was indeed the starting point of where my life, my thinking and my identity had begun to unravel.
High school was the real beginning of my downward spiral. I went from friendship group to friendship group trying to find the acceptance that would fill the brokenness that existed inside. During this time my family and I were still attending church. There were times when I could not deny God existed, but I had a warped perception of Him and I could no longer connect a God who I had learned so much about with anything real enough to fix me. I began to make bad lifestyle choices fuelled by my desire to fit in.
During high school both my parents remarried and we had become a real life Brady-bunch. At 16 my family existed of Mum, Step-Dad, Sister, Step-sister, Step-brother and two half-sisters.
My senior year was more a blur of drunken parties and on again off again girlfriends. From 18 onwards I was spiralling out of control chasing fun, acceptance and self-identity. It was by the fortune of my academic ability and one month of hard study before the exams which helped me to achieve a good enough mark to get into Biomedical Science at Newcastle University. I left home almost as soon as possible and moved into a house (across the road from Newcastle Beach) with my cousin and some mates.
I would body board daily, then party almost every other night. In my mind I was living the dream; but ‘the fun’ was all so temporary in its relief that I required more. Soon drinking wasn’t enough. The reality was I was a broken, lost young man with no idea who I was. Eventually I turned to drugs. At one point I even told God I didn’t want anything to do with Him as I was most certainly living my own life now - thank you very much.
My University grades suffered and I dropped out of University in 2004, taking up a full time job at Wild Surf Co. In February 2005, after waking up many mornings looking at my life and wondering how it had got to where it was it began to dawn on me that the life, identity and even the friends I had, were all based around things that were not bringing me the joy, fulfilment and self-identity that I thought they would. As I became more aware of these things I felt alone, lost and began to realise the brokenness that existed in me.
It was the 1st Sunday in February 2005. My step brother came down stairs and saw me on the couch, the place I had made it to after yet another big night. He asked me if I’d be interested in going to church. I remember arriving and having a negative attitude the whole time. I felt drawn to something but had built up a lot of negativity towards the concept of church. I only returned the next week because some of the girls there were quite attractive. It was during this second visit that God broke through my walls of insecurity and my masks of identity and revealed to me how much I needed Him. With tears rolling down my face I remember walking to the front in response to the Pastors call and I gave my life to Jesus that day.
It wasn’t about the church or the people, although God used them. It wasn’t about my brother or my family, although they had prayed for this day for a long time. It wasn’t even about the fact that I knew I needed something or someone to help me fix up my life. It was that I suddenly realised it was about Jesus and how much He loved me.
I like to think of me and my life as a 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle. God created me and so He knows what the masterpiece at the end looks like. In fact, he says we are all his masterpiece created anew in Christ Jesus. Throughout my life I lost many of the pieces. Some I lost due to my own choices, some through circumstances out of my control. I had lost so many pieces that I could not see what the image was supposed to be. But I found the One who created the puzzle originally and He knows exactly what the image is. He also has the template and so can repair or create new pieces for the missing ones in my life.
I am not in any way a complete person with nothing left to fix in my life, but I am repaired, healed and restored beyond belief from where God found me. I am walking each day with my God who is faithful to bring to completion the good work that He began within me. I am walking with my God who is able to accomplish infinitely more than I could ask or imagine. I am living my life knowing that my God will never leave me and, never let me go and never forsake me. It is these truths that give me all the joy and peace and assurance that I could ever ask for.
By Nate Welburn (Senior School Teacher/Stage 5 Leader)
ISSUE ELEVEN 201415
By Asher Morrison (College Counsellor/Psychologist)
Having a baby is hard work but it certainly has its benefits. For example, your cute little bundle stays put when you put them down, doesn’t answer back when you talk to them and would certainly never deliberately disobey you. But then they learn to walk and to talk and to not do as you say and everything changes – forever.
Discipline and setting boundaries is the dirty work of being a parent. It’s the decidedly unglamorous stuff in between all of the happy snaps and family photos that you’ll look back on with fondness when your child is grown. It’s what made you hesitant to have kids in the first place. It’s what makes raising kids so unenjoyable at times. It’s extremely hard work.
Unfortunately there is no one trick to disciplining your child. If there was, and I discovered it, I would have patented it, written a book on it and retired to the Bahamas by now! But while there is no magic trick with discipline, what psychology, behavioural science and generations of good parents have given us is a set of principles that work in disciplining children of all ages.
So for the benefit of having some idea of what to do in that moment when your little angel throws his dinner at you when you’ve just warned them not to, let’s have a look at some of the key principles of good discipline:
This is an important one to remember when your child is screaming and howling in their room because you have just sent them to time-out. All children need to know where the boundaries are in life. They need to learn good habits, one of which is that sometimes you have to do what you are told even when you don’t want to. Remember this principle if the thought ever crosses your mind that you are traumatising your child for grounding them for deliberately disobeying you.
In summer, QLD doesn’t observe Daylight Saving Time. Between Tweed Heads and Coolangatta is an invisible, arbitrary line that says on this side we’ll have Daylight Saving Time (NSW) and on this side we won’t (QLD). The only reason that this doesn’t dissolve the east coast of Australia into chaos is because the boundary line between these two states is unchanging and consistent. This is what good discipline is to children – it provides a stable guideline to them as to how they should live their lives. So make sure that both parents are on the same page with what behaviours you discipline and what consequences you will use. Prioritise key behaviours to discipline so that you don’t become inconsistent from trying to discipline too much at
once. And avoid getting too emotional or talking too much when you discipline as both of these will veer you off track and make you inconsistent and ineffective with your parenting.
Grounding a 3 year old for something they did yesterday isn’t going to work, just like 5 minutes in the “naughty chair” for a 15 year old won’t work. You need to understand what an appropriate and suitable consequence is for your child. Similarly, you need to know what is reasonable behaviour to expect from your child. Getting your 5 year old into trouble for not packing all of his books for school is not reasonable, as is yelling at your teenage boy for not talking your ear off in the car. Some of your child’s behaviour is developmental, not defiance, and other behaviours can be the result of another underlying problem, like difficulty with their schoolwork, social problems or anxiety. Get to know your child really well at each stage of their development and you will give yourself the best chance of getting it right (most of the time.)
Not all of us have supportive spouses or grandparents to help back us up when things get tough, but that doesn’t mean that you should parent alone. Be deliberate about connecting yourself and your child with other similar families and with other positive adults. Raising a child is the biggest job that you will ever have and you’re a sucker for punishment, and a prime candidate for burn out, if you do it all on your own.
This last one is especially true if your little one is really pushing your buttons. The most effective discipline happens in good relationships. Take the time to spend some good quality 1:1 time with your child if they are mucking up a lot. Be careful, though, to not substitute this for good discipline. Children should always be disciplined for defiant behaviour. Good quality time with your children should not be given in place of discipline, but despite it. After all, parenting is primarily about relationship.
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Kids need to be disciplined
Good discipline is consistent
Get into your child’s shoes
Don’t go it alone
Prioritise building your relationship with your child
Parenting MattersDisciplining your child; the dirty work of being a parent
What have you been doing since you left Charlton?I took up a teaching position in Middle School at
St Philip’s Christian College, Cessnock. I have also
branched out into my favourite area of Pastoral Care
and Welfare, dealing with all the discipline and life
issues that teenagers face.
How old were you when you made a commitment to Christ?21. Believe it or not I went to a Bible College
to prove to myself that it was a false belief
system… Just a crutch for the weak. I changed
my mind pretty quickly though.
How important is Christ in your life now?I would like to say that He is the most important
thing. But I often lose focus on the most
important things in life. My relationship with
Jesus can be interesting. Lucky for me He’s in
it for the long haul. But then again, so am I.
What advice would you give to current students?It would be that every person who has
walked this earth before you has made
mistakes. Life is not about perfection or
getting everything right. It is about getting
up and dusting yourself off when things
don’t go to plan. It is about bouncing
back and learning from past mistakes.
We, the old and wise call it resilience.
Take life as a journey, not a tour. It is a
marathon, not a sprint. As Marlin’s friend
Dora so aptly put it ‘just keep swimming,
swimming, swimming’ and at the centre
of it all is God, whether you believe in
His existence or not. Life didn’t make
much sense to me before Him. You will
lose nothing by checking Him out but
you may lose everything if you don’t.
It’s a no brainer!
Any final thoughts?How ‘bout those Dragons, hey!
Yew! Come on!
When did you work at Charlton and what was your role?I worked at Charlton full-time between 2005 – 2012.
My primary role was as a Middle School Pastoral
Care Teacher in SPORTRACK but I taught a variety
of subjects. They included History, Geography,
Design and Technology, PDHPE, Christian Studies
and Mathematics.
How would you describe your time at Charlton? FABULOUS! I loved working with the staff, and the
students were amazing. Like any vocation, it had
its hard days but my overall experience was one
of great satisfaction. I began my full time teaching
career there and will always have fond memories.
I’ve made great friendships too with both staff and
students and occasionally get invited to hang out
with past students. It’s a great joy to see that my
loud-mouthed students are doing well in life and to
catch up with where they are at in their faith journey.
Why did you decide to be a teacher?Holidays! Actually, I had to re-train from my
Carpentry trade. I was up to my eyeballs in kid’s
camps and youth groups and lots of friends
encouraged me to become a teacher. Like 85% of
boys, I was never wired towards school, so it was
quite a mental hump to get over. However, looking
back, it is in the top four choices I’ve ever made
along with living out my faith, marrying a supremely
excellent woman and having amazing kids.
What are some of your fondest memories of working at Charlton?Meeting Boothman. That guy rocks! Eight years
bring a lot of memories. I don’t forget much and it
would take too long to list, so I will categorise. I loved
watching my students succeed. I loved not being
able to walk through the playground without having
thirty conversations. I loved when students got that
little bit closer to figuring out where Jesus fits into life.
I loved working the back stage with my hand-picked
crew on every event. My freshest, fondest memory
is my last week before leaving. I had so many great,
deep, real conversations with so many people. Lots
of students wrote diary entries for me and it is one of
my most valuable possessions.
Looking back with Scott Logan (Ex-staff member)
In RetrospectISSUE ELEVEN 201417
Coach Profile
One of the best feelings is that of pride when you see something excellent, something brilliant, something that you will always remember; especially when it comes come from nothing more than a glimmer of hope. This is the experience I have had with coaching over the last five years. I had one of the best experiences in my teaching career last year. Two students tried out for the school football team even though they weren’t soccer players and didn’t play on the weekends. These two students had a HUGE impact on me. Both were trying out without much hope that they would make it, but with an attitude to ‘have a go’. They had no idea what it would lead to. Personally, as a teacher and coach I didn’t give them much footballing wisdom or life changing tactics. What I did do was try to inspire and encourage them to have a go with everything they have and instil in them the belief that they could achieve anything if they put their mind to it. “Attitude is everything”, I’d tell them and my goodness didn’t they thrive on that! These two were constantly arrived at training first and were last to leave. They were willing to play anywhere on the field, were always eager to listen and learnt to take criticism as an opportunity to grow. For nine and ten year olds this is amazing. If only we could get that type of athlete in every team!
I received messages from their mothers saying they would go home and be outside for hours practising and honing their skills. “What have you done to my son?” was the phrase. It’s amazing what an opportunity, some encouragement, and a boost of inspiration will do. They have both achieved incredible highs in the sole year they have been playing football and this is the reason I coach. Not to see trophies be lifted up (even though that is very exciting), but to see kids reach their potential and have an attitude of “I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me”. They don’t need to be a Messi or a Gerrard. They just need to believe in themselves and strive for excellence in whatever they put their mind to. With a positive attitude, encouragement and a willingness to learn our kids can believe for anything. I love coaching and I love that coaching at Charlton opens the doors to endless opportunities to inspire, love and dare kids to dream big.
Letter to a student:
I’m so proud of you. The way you played with passion and pride for our school was incredible. I’ll always remember the excitement you showed when we got to the Grand Final at State and won the Macquarie Cup. You are a champion. Well played and I look forward to more fun and success next year!
Coach Lalor
Peter Lalor(Primary Sport Coordinator)
Full of Tricks!
Year 5 student Tayla Simmonds has been skiing for the past eight years. She started at the young age of two. She began competing when she was four and at seven was the youngest in the world to ever ski at the Moomba Masters.
Tayla has been National Champion u/ 10 for the last three years and holds the Trick, Slalom and overall record. She has more recently begun competing in a higher division (u/14), which includes ‘jumping’ which she loves. She can’t wait to be jumping around 55m like her idol Australian World Champion Jacinta Carroll.
Tayla trains with Mum, sister Ruby and Dad three or four days a week at home and at her favourite site, Myuna Bay Sport and Rec. She also dances Jazz Troup, Hip Hop Troup, Ballet, Jazz Solo and Musical Theatre for around six hours a week. This helps with skiing and elite discipline.
Tayla has spent the last four winters in the USA in Florida and competes in their Junior USA Open and Regionals.
Tayla’s favourite event is ‘Trick’ and she would love to be as great as the World Champion and record holder, Erica Lang who is eighteen years old, from America. Tayla’s best ‘Trick’ score ever is 5200, which she achieved earlier this year in New Zealand and took out the title for u/14. In the last school holidays Tayla participated in the National Tournament Championships in Darwin and again came first in the ‘Tricks’ races. At present she is working on mastering some very difficult tricks for her age.
Tayla’s highlight so far has been to compete in the Senior Moomba against competitors who are over eighteen years old. Tayla needs to place in the top eight in the World to compete in the Junior World Championships. Her ultimate goal is to get to Junior Worlds and The USA Masters in two years’ time (and, of course winning would be very nice too).
Tayla is inspired by her father who is a bronze medallist Para-Olympian. He is a Jump record holder and five time world waterski champion. Her dad has been skiing since he was 12 and was recently inducted into the hall of fame for waterskiing.
Tayla Simmonds(Year 5 Student)
ISSUE ELEVEN 201419
All WelcomePlease phone the College on 02 4959 9111 for further information.
43 Fassifern Road, Fassifern NSW 2283www.charlton.nsw.edu.au
Term 3 Information EveningsSenior School ParentInformation Night Tuesday 12th August, 7.00pmfor Year 8 students commencing Year 9 in 2015
Middle School ParentInformation NightTuesday 26th August, 7.00pmfor students commencing Year 5 - Year 8 in 2015
Charlton Christian College Open DayFriday 5th September, 9.30am – 12noon Open Classrooms and Tours of the College
Morning Tea available
Speak with members of the College Executive
Meet members of our Parents’ Association
