COMMUNITY NEWS TERM 2 WEEK 3

What do we value most? Below is a cross-section of our Primary and Secondary teachers’ favourite Bible verses and comments from which you will see that our teachers have a real heart for our students and a desire to honour and serve God in this community.

Surely I am with you always until the very end of time. Matthew 28.20

I want my students to know that, even though life isn’t always easy and hard things happen, God will never leave them. They will never be alone and there I great comfort in knowing that. I hope that my students will be able to see this through my teaching and my life.

Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me for of such is the Kingdom of

Heaven.” Matthew 19:13 God has ordained praise from the voices of children. The students each have their own unique ‘voice’. As a teacher I need to bring my students’ voices together, to create unity in diversity, respecting and developing skills in each child so that he or she can best bring praise to our awesome God by living life as an act of worship in community with other people.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding;

In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. Proverbs 3 Encouraging students to know that there is more to God and our Christian walk than is outside of our boxes and frames of thinking. Helping students to be open in their thinking and thoughts of God.

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,

neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth nor

anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God

that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:28-29 I believe this underpins my approach to teaching here because, as I see students struggle through different situations, some of their own doing, and others beyond their control, they will always be loved by God.

… being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you

will complete it until the day of Jesus. Philippians 1:6 We are all God’s unfinished business. I believe I come alongside students who are on a journey of growth and change and I am confident that, no matter how messy that journey gets, God will complete His good work. What I do here goes well beyond Year 12.

Gary Brummell, Principal

Our Vision

To foster a Christ centred learning community where all students receive an education which enables them to

know the Lord Jesus Christ, grow in Him and serve Him to their full potential

Regents Park Christian School 59 Regent Street, Regents Park, 2143 Ph: 9644 5144 Fax: 9743 7082 principal@rpcs.nsw.edu.au www.rpcs.nsw.edu.au

IMPORTANT DATES TERM 2 2014 19 May Yr 7 & Yr 9 boys vaccinations 21 May 15&U Rugby League Trials 26 May Primary girls Soccer 26 – 28 May Stage 3 Canberra excursion 26 May – 6 June Yr 7-8 Examination Fortnight 27 May Open girls & boys Soccer Trials Yr 9-10 Parent-Teacher Interviews 30 May Primary & Secondary State X Country Primary Athletics Carnival 31 May Kindergarten & Yr 7 2015 Interview Day 2 - 6 June Yrs 9-11 exams 3 June 15&U Open girls & boys Touch Football Trials 9 June Queen’s Birthday Public Holiday PRAYER POINTS Pray for our students as they undertake study for their exams

17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Col 3:17

PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE

Term 2 Week 3 16 May 2014

COMMUNITY NEWS TERM 2 WEEK 3

ALL SCHOOL NEWS

YEAR 11 DRAMA PRESENTS…

UNIFORM SHOP Change of Uniform Shop Hours The opening hours of the Uniform Shop will now be open for a full day, i.e. 8am - 4pm on Fridays (not Wednesdays) during term time. If you have any questions about this change please contact the school on 9644 5144 or uniform@rpcs.nsw.edu.au.

NEW RPCS APP (SKOOLBAG APP) Now you can stay better informed about what is happening at school by downloading the new RPCS App onto your smart mobile device. It’s free and features Events, News, Community News, Documents and push notification alerts direct from the school. Download it today from either Google Play Store for Android devices or the Apps Store for Apple devices. Android https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.skoolbag.regentsparkcs MAC https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/regents-park-christian-school/id783316158?mt=8 Please contact the school if you need any more information about downloading or using our new App.

2013-2014 FAMILY ENERGY REBATE

What is the Family Energy Rebate? The Family Energy Rebate helps to cover the costs of energy bills for NSW households with dependent children. In 2013 – 2014 the rebate gives: • A $125 credit against electricity bills for eligible applicants who receive electricity from an electricity retailer. • A $137.50 direct payment to nominated bank accounts for eligible applicants who live in a caravan or mobile home park and

receive electricity from the park operator. Eligibility Criteria To be eligible to apply for the 2013-2014 NSW Family Energy Rebate, you must: 1. Be a NSW resident; AND 2. Have lodged your 2012/2013 tax return (if required to do so) AND 3. Have confirmation from the Federal Department of Human Services (DHS) that you are eligible for the Family Tax Benefit A

or B during the 2012-2013 financial year, and received the relevant payment; AND 4. Be the primary account holder of an electricity retailer, or, a long-term resident of a caravan or mobile home park, whose

name appears on the electricity account for supply to her/his principal place of residence. DEADLINE - Apply before 5pm on Friday 13 June 2014 Choose how you want to apply for the Family Energy Rebate • online – it takes a few minutes to submit and processing starts immediately. • paper – download a form from the website, complete and submit by email, fax or post. Information & assistance phone 13 77 88 email: fer.program@trade.nsw.gov.au web www.resourcesandenergy.nsw.gov.au/info/

familyenergyrebate

COMMUNITY NEWS TERM 2 WEEK 3

CAR BOOT SALE – SATURDAY 24 MAY Heartbeat Community Care is having a car boot sale at school on Saturday 24 May from 8.00 am - 4.00 pm. Profits raised will go towards the valuable work Heartbeat Community Care does in our neighbourhood. If you’d like to reserve a spot to sell your goods then contact Ps David Deal to reserve your place. We will be holding a sausage sizzle and fun activities. Be quick as there are only a few positions left. Cost is $40. Contact Ps David at david@rpcc.org.au or call 0412 923 564

IN JUST ONE WEEK… Last week was an amazing time in the life of our school! I'd like to press pause for just a moment in the busyness of Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 completing NAPLAN this week to take the time and reflect on it. Below is a snapshot of last week as students of our school were stretched across NSW, Australia and beyond: 18 were in the Solomon Islands 15 were in Queensland at Cherbourg 40 were doing Work Experience across Sydney Junior school was at camp in Kurrajong In Regents Park, our primary students abounded with energy, enthusiasm and passion when 8 of our secondary school

students entering their classes and worked alongside students and staff. Our Year 12s completed half-yearly exams (keep calm they are over… for now). 10 students were working creatively on changing our physical spaces and inspiring us. 10 students served in the Excellence Ministry and gained skills they will take beyond RPCS. How is all this possible? Visionary leadership and dedicated and hardworking staff make sure these opportunities exist along with months of dreaming, planning, and risk assessments by our Principal, Trent (our School Chaplain), and every Camp and Ministry director, not to mention every staff member who supervised meals, 4am non-sleepers, swimming during free times and enjoyed another trip on the dodgems. We appreciate that parents and students raised funds and made sacrifices so that these opportunities could be taken up. So many of our Year 10 and 11 students stepped up to leadership and served, for many of them in ways they have never done before. So many of them, no matter where they were, represented their school, their family and their faith with excellence. You should feel very proud of them. We know that we are. Take the time to listen to the stories of last week. Celebrate the achievements of what your child showed they can do and who they are and encourage them to walk a little taller and hold their heads high. Let's also give thanks to God who is of all and in all, who will take all those experiences of last week and continue to mould and shape and move these wonderful young people into the ‘all’ He has for them. Rochelle Dawson Student Wellbeing Co-ordinator

MUMS & BUBS PROGRAM Activities: Play, story, craft and music Time: Fridays (10.30 am – 12.15 pm during school terms) Where: Regents Park Community Church (59-61 Regent St) Fee: $1 (donation)

COMMUNITY NEWS TERM 2 WEEK 3

PRIMARY NEWS

STAGE 1 SCHOOLHOUSE MUSEUM EXCURSION On Tuesday, the students of 1-2B, 1-2K & 1-2M travelled across the city and ‘back in time’ to get a feel for school life over 100 years ago. The highlight for most, was being able to make toast! Life is good!

SPORTS DAY – BACK TO NORMAL WEEK 4 Next week, our sports days return to normal with K-2 having Tuesday sports and Years 3-6 having Thursday sports.

ARVO ARITHMETIC – Tuesday 27 May, 2:15-3:00pm

Over the past 3 years, we have invested considerably to improve the quality of our students’ learning in Mathematics. We would like to invite you to visit our infants’ classrooms (Kindergarten and Years 1 & 2) so that your children can demonstrate their mathematical thinking and learning for you. We hope you will be able to come and see the great things that are happening.

2015 KINDERGARTEN ENROLMENTS Kindergarten enrolment interviews will be held on Saturday, 31 May. If you are expecting one of your children to start Kindergarten next year, please contact Mrs Dorizas, our Enrolments Officer, to ensure he/she is enrolled. Application forms are available from the primary office. Make sure your child does not miss out on a place! A number of applications were also received for Kindergarten 2015 as a result of Open Day! If you have friends or family who did not attend Open Day and who are considering Christian schooling for their children – by all means encourage them to contact us so that we might promote our school to them!

PRIMARY ATHLETICS CARNIVAL Remember, our Primary Athletics Carnival will be on Friday 30 May. On this day, we would appreciate lots of help and would also like to run a canteen for the children. If you can help, please contact the primary office.

STAGE 3 DEBATING COMPETITION Mrs Pocknall will be training some of our Stage 3 students to participate in a Debating Competition with other Christian schools. The Competition will commence in Week 5 or 6 of this term and continue through Term 3. If you are able to assist with transportation needs, please contact the primary office.

COMMUNITY NEWS TERM 2 WEEK 3

PBS PRIMARY: BE RESPECTFUL, BE SAFE, BE KIND AND BE A LEARNER Next week, our focus will be on showing respect in our school by “Giving People Space.” We would like our students to demonstrate consideration for other people by giving room for their body, their feelings and their learning. Sometimes we can be too close to others in how close we stand, or by not allowing them to pass easily, or by not giving them time to work through their feelings. Sometimes we need to show respect to others by leaving them alone.

PRIMARY ASSEMBLY, TERM 2 For your information, here is our assembly roster for term 2. We hope to be able to welcome you to this special time in our week:

WINTER UNIFORM All students should now be in the winter uniform. Please send a note of explanation if your child is unable to wear the proper uniform. The winter uniform consists of: Boys: Midford green long-sleeved shirt, long grey trousers (no cargo style pants), grey socks, black Clarke-style uniform shoes and uniform woolen jumper. Girls: Tunic and winter blouse, white socks or black or green tights, black Clarke-style uniform shoes and uniform woolen jumper (Only black or bottle green hair accessories). Please ensure your child only wears white T-shirts or singlets. Note: Students may wear the tracksuit jacket for additional warmth, but when representing the school on excursions, they must have the school woollen jumper.

STAGE 3 CANBERRA EXCURSION – 26 - 28 May

Remember, Stage 3 parents, that the excursion costs need to be paid before the students leave on 26 May. Please contact the primary office if you need to discuss this. Our Stage 3 students will soon be traveling to Canberra as part of their studies on government and Australian identity. Students will be given the opportunity to participate in a variety of educational programs with a focus on Australia’s history, culture, heritage and democracy. The Australian Government recognises the importance of all young Australians being able to visit the national capital as part of their Civics and Citizenship education. To assist our efforts in subsidising the cost of this excursion, the Australian Government is contributing $20 per student under the Parliament and Civics Education Rebate program. This rebate will be paid directly to the school upon completion of the excursion.

YEAR 7 ENROLMENTS 2015 Applications for Year 7 2015 should be submitted now. An interview day for Year 7 applicants will also be held on Saturday 31 May 2014. Please contact Diane Dorizas (our Enrolment Officer) for an application package.

YEAR 6 GOING INTO YEAR 7 2015 A letter will be sent in July seeking confirmation that your child will be continuing his/her schooling at RPCS into Year 7. There is no need to reapply for Year 7.

Class Date

1-2K 23 May

1-2M 30 May

5-6E 6 June

4D 13 June

3H 20 June

Kinder 27 June

COMMUNITY NEWS TERM 2 WEEK 3

SECONDARY NEWS PARENT TEACHER INTERVIEWS Parent-Teacher interviews will be held this term as follows: 1st session: 3.10 – 4.50pm 2nd session: 6.00 – 7.50 pm Years 9 & 10 Tuesday 27 May Years 8 & 12 Tuesday 10 June Years 7 & 11 Tuesday 24 June Bookings can be made from Wednesday 14 May until Monday 26 May inclusive. Parents will be sent an email with a link that will take them to their child’s booking screen in the school system (Spider). Parents without email addresses in the school system will be sent a letter and they will need to make their interview appointments by calling the school office. Parents may only book one session per teacher (i.e. no double bookings).

COMMUNITY NEWS TERM 2 WEEK 3

CAMPS A few weeks ago, I prayed that camp would ‘exceed all expectations’. Whoever’s expectation was the highest, I wanted camp to exceed that. You may already have guessed the answer to my prayer. The four days we spent at camp were possibly the best in the year so far. The activities during the day were amazing, but what’s even more spectacular is seeing your friends realize the love of God, perhaps for the first time. Nobody judges them—they’re probably experiencing something similar. We have this opportunity once a year, but my hope is that we can relive it at school and at home. It’s not just the worship but everything else that comes with camp, especially the chance you have to get closer to your friends. Teachers are friends, too, even if they’re constantly telling you to stop talking and go to sleep! I don’t quite know what I was expecting, but I think my expectations were exceeded. I don’t know what yours were, but I hope they were exceeded, too. Kimberley Santos, 8.1

One of the many blessings that I have in being a teacher here in Regents Park Christian School is the opportunity to worship corporately with my students. As a core teacher, I LOVE being in the classroom with my core kids. We learn, grow, explore and discover so much together. However, witnessing their stories unfold as they press into the presence of Jesus… well, that’s where my heart and soul sing. Like many of our students, I went to a number of youth camps growing up. In many of these, I witnessed lives changed as the revelation of God’s saving grace struck people anew. After leaving youth group, however – and perhaps you may have experienced this too – my faith became less about the passionate cries of the worship mosh pit and more about the sobering reality of trying to live like Christ in the day-to-day.

Being at camp reminded me that those two realities are not mutually exclusive. That being smashed by God’s grace happens over and over again, even when we’ve left youth group behind. That the hard yards of the Christian walk are still punctuated by moments of pure transcendence. Looking at our students passionately worshipping Jesus, I was reminded that God doesn’t stop overwhelming us. As I wrote in my journal at the time, “God is the same – changing lives and transforming hearts – always. Yesterday, today and tomorrow.” - Ms Evangelista

English and Drama Teacher

COMMUNITY NEWS TERM 2 WEEK 3

MINISTRIES SUCCESSFUL SOLOMON ISLANDS MINISTRY TRIP

Our annual Solomon Islands Music Ministry Trip proved to be another wonderful experience for our 15 Year 10 students and 5 staff members. As well as Mr Barnard and Mr Chavura, Ps and Mrs Guerra were once again able to accompany us and were an absolute blessing in their amazing contribution to the team.

Leaving on ANZAC day for the two week trip, the team, in their distinctive navy and aqua shirts, flew to Brisbane and then on to Honiara the next day. In early April, the Solomon Islands, and in particular the capital, Honiara, had been victim to terrible flash flooding when the main river burst its banks after heavy rain. The death toll from this devastating event was officially 23 with a number still missing, presumed dead.

Flying in to the capital on 26 April revealed the extent of the devastation and also confirmed that the purpose of our trip was about to broaden to include helping these beautiful people try to restore their lives. After attending church in Honiara at Kukum Campus South Sea Evangelical Church on the Sunday and doing a bit of sightseeing, we left for the island of Malaita on Monday 28 April. As is often the case in the Solomons, travel plans can change unexpectedly and our arrival at the wharf in pouring rain on the back of a truck was met with the news that the boat we were booked on was not running that day. Fortunately we were able to book on another slower boat at 6pm that night, finally arriving in Auki at 12 midnight.

What an absolute joy it was for the team to walk in to the hall at Kilusakwalo for our welcome assembly with a brand new concrete floor! Our huge K4K fundraiser in November last year meant that the school and wider community were able to have the money and work for many weeks to lay the huge concrete slab to complete their hall. Our week at the school saw the team have a session at the primary schools running games and musical items and then in teaching music with Mr Chavura and Ps Guerra to the Form 3 and 4 students and computing skills with Mr Barnard to the form 5 students.

COMMUNITY NEWS TERM 2 WEEK 3

While this was taking place, Mrs Guerra and I worked with the staff, helping to clean and reorganise staff work areas and find out about other opportunities we might have in the future.

I even helped to mark the Form 6 (Year 12) English assessment task! This is only the second Form 6 group the school has had.

Wednesday was once again sports afternoon and our students mixed with the Kilusakwalo students to have fun and exercise in the organised games.

While in Kilusakwalo, we were asked to join with the local church and school community in a fundraiser for the Honiara flood victims. Many of those affected in Honiara were actually from the island of Malaita. This took place on the Saturday morning at Auki markets. The team performed about 10 items in the blazing sun, included a powerful gospel message from Ps Guerra and were featured in the national newspaper, Solomon Star, the following Monday.

Travelling back to Honiara for 3 more days, we were able to help out around the Short Workshops in Mission (SWIM) base which had also been badly affected by the floods. Helping to reseat a huge water tank, re-raise a fence knocked down by the force of the water, shovelling many, many loads of mud, collecting sand and gravel from the nearby beach to re-floor the ‘motu’ (outdoor) kitchen and replanting grass on the soccer field produced a lot of tired bodies but a huge amount of satisfaction that we could help out.

We continue to praise God for the precious relationship we have with the Solomon Islands and in particular the community at Kilusakwalo. So many lives – both here and there – have been changed through this ministry opportunity. Regents Park CS (formerly CCHS) has now taken 140 students to the Solomons since its inception in 2006. Please continue to pray for the community in the Solomons and for the many students and staff who have had the privilege of being involved.

Mrs Tracey Deal Team Leader