Thursday 5 July Dear Parents & Friends of Kuyper,

Transcription

1 Dear Parents & Friends of Kuyper, Thursday 5 July 2018 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another and all the more as you see the Day approaching. Hebrews 10:24-25 Last Saturday s air had a chilly edge to it, which was fortunate, since there were a number of aspects of the night that would offer warmth. There were delicious jacket potatoes, a sausage sizzle, coffee and hot chocolate, and a colossal bonfire. As the night wore on and the roaring fire was replaced by glowing red coals, we were reminded of the emphasis that the Bible places on meeting together as brothers and sisters in Christ. Just as a coal removed from the embers will immediately begin to lose its heat, so a Christian removed from fellowship with other believers stands at risk of drifting away from the Lord. Although the Bible is clear that we are saved by grace and not through any works we have done, popular phrases such as I m a Christian but I don t go to church or I don t need to go to church to worship God or even I worship God in my own way present a quandary. Our salvation definitely doesn t depend on regular church attendance; however, the Bible is clear that we are expected to encourage, accept and love one another. In fact, there are 59 one another statements written in the Bible (prime Google opportunity). Jesus himself, along with the Apostles Peter, Paul and other New Testament authors remind us that we are made to be in community with one another and to be patient and bear with one another, being compassionate and forgiving. It is not possible to obey these directives if we deliberately avoid Christian fellowship. Life in this world is not easy. Temptation, misdirection, financial pressures, identity, marriage and relationship issues are weighing us down every day. We ALL constantly need the support and reminder of God s grace in Jesus to carry us through and remain faithful until the last day. Church and youth group provide a meeting place with other Christians who not only seek to live out Jesus love to others, but also provide an opportunity for us to encourage and love others with the unique gifts and life experiences with which God has blessed us. You may never know who will be encouraged in their walk by your perspective, life story and unique relationship with God. Here at Kuyper we seek to foster an environment where we support and encourage one another in our Christian lives and in our relationships. Though we enjoyed the warmth of the fire for a night, the shared love of fellow Christians will offer us true warmth now and into eternity. Mike Hottinger School Chaplain 294 Redbank Rd Kurrajong NSW 2758 T E admin@kuyper.nsw.edu.au W

2 Thursday 5 July 2018 What a great night we had together as a community around the bonfire last Saturday. With hot food and a BIG fire to warm our bodies, as well as the warmth of community to bless our hearts, it was an evening filled with fun and fellowship. We were also able to raise a significant amount towards the cost of sending our Concert and Performance Bands to the Christian Education National Music Festival in Orange next term. As a Christian community our fire is stoked by the contribution and involvement of immediate and extended families in our school community as we care for one another and work together towards the common goal of raising our children with a Christian worldview. Thank you to all those who volunteered to help on the night in ways big and small. Your contribution made the night a roaring success. Special thanks to the KukeCumbers for performing for us and to Alan and Margaret Shephard, grandparents from North Richmond Bakery who generously donated all the buns for our sausage sizzle! Farewell to Mrs Belinda Kean Sadly for Kuyper, Mrs Belinda Kean will depart to Tasmania at the end of this term. This is a result of Mrs Kean s husband taking a new employment opportunity in Hobart. Belinda has served Kuyper well in recent years in the Junior School, as a casual teacher, and this year in the Secondary School teaching Art as well as a Christian Service module. Belinda will leave a lasting memory with us from her service, especially her recent work with students creating public artwork and a unique Music Wall that will be played and enjoyed by students in the playground for many years. We trust Mr and Mrs Kean will enjoy and thrive in the adventure of moving interstate and connecting with a new community. Mrs Cathie Hall will return to replace Mrs Kean next term. Cathie was our HSC Art Teacher in 2016 and is still on our casual teacher list. This is an ideal exchange as Mrs Hall is an experienced Visual Arts teacher with previous experience working at our School. We welcome her return. Mrs Kean will be farewelled at our Celebration Assembly on Friday afternoon, the last day of term. Please come along and say farewell if you can. Ian Shaw Principal

3 Reminders Nurture magazines will be sent home soon with students. Enjoy reading over the holidays! Entries for the Colouring part of the Kuyper Colouring & Design competition are due tomorrow, Friday 6 July (last day of term). Winning entries will be published in the Newsletter next term. During the Second Week of the holidays, the itinerary and other relevant information for Vanuatu Campers will be ed. Please contact the Office if you do not receive it! Office hours for the holidays: First week of holidays closed Second week of holidays 9am 3pm Mon-Thurs Third week of holidays Curriculum (Pupil Free) Week We are looking for some donations for our scarecrows: they need some suitable farming outfits. Contact the Office if you can help. Would anyone be able to lend the school a large enclosed trailer for the band tour to Orange Christian School August? July Fri 6 Vanuatu Fundraiser BBQ lunch Fri 6 Whole School Celebration, 2:30pm Fri 6 Last Day of Term 2 Sat 21 Vanuatu Campers leave Mon 23 Curriculum (Pupil Free) Week begins Fri 27 Vanuatu Campers return Mon 30 First Day of Term 3 August Mon 6 Primary Zone Athletics Carnival Tue 7 Year 10 Bible Society Masterclass Tue 7 Year 7/8 Gymnastics excursion Tue 7 Yr 11/12 Information Night, 7pm Wed 8 Year 5/6 Campers depart Fri 10 Year 9/10 Gymnastics excursion Fri 10 Year 5/6 Campers return Sat 11 Term 3 Working Bee Wed 15 Secondary Zone Athletics Carnival Wed 15 Prayer & Board Meetings, 7pm Prayer & Praise Give thanks for the gift of music. Give thanks for opportunities to rest and reconnect. Pray for all staff, students and families that holidays will be safe and enjoyable. Continue to pray for the Miller family and for Josh. Pray for strength, stamina, peace, healing and encouragement. Pray for Vanuatu; the country and its people. Pray for our students, staff and parents as they prepare to visit, support and learn from the community. Pray for the Kean family in their move to Tasmania. Give thanks for God s provision for them and pray for blessings in their departure, arrival and new community. Thur 16 Band Festival Campers depart Fri 17 Year 9/10 Gymnastics excursion Fri 17 Primary State Athletics Carnival Sat 18 Japanese Students arrive Sat 18 Band Festival Campers return Wed 22 Japanese Students depart Thur 23 Book Week Parade & Author Visit Fri 24 Secondary State Athletics Carnival Fri 24 Year 9/10 Gymnastics excursion Thur 30 Year 7/8 Vaccinations & catch-up Fri 31 Year 9/10 Gymnastics excursion Sept Tue 4 Year 3/4 Elizabeth Farm excursion Fri 7 Year 9/10 Gymnastics excursion

4 Tomorrow! When: Lunch, Friday 6 July (last day of school) Where: High School What for?: to raise money for schools and ministries Join us in fundraising for communities we will visit in Vanuatu, and for a delicious end to the term! Year 11 & 12 Price List Sausage Sandwich: $2 Juice Poppers: $1 Soft Drink (high school only): $1

5 Study Skills Sometimes students think that study skills are just something you need to be concerned with when you are at school. This is not the case at all. For example, most jobs will require learning and training, certification and assessment. Planning, managing workload and good time management skills will also be essential when students leave school. One of the many ways our school supports the development of independent learning skills is through providing access to the online study skills handbook site: Parents should encourage their students to sign up for the system in the handbook so that they can easily keep track of the units they have completed. It is a good idea for students to choose different units to work on over time (maybe try a new unit each month?) so they can develop their understanding of these important skills and reflect on the areas they need to work on. This specialist resource complements the skill development that takes place in our classrooms. The study skills tip for this month is taken from the unit that looks at the reflection process after a test is returned to students. One of the concepts outlined in this unit is that of kaizen. The word kaizen itself is derived from two different Japanese words, kai and zen. KAI, meaning: to change or modify; and ZEN, meaning: to improve. Small constant changes can make a huge difference to students results. Only by reflecting on the way they learn and then making changes, can students improve the way they approach their work for school. The study skills handbook is a great tool to assist in this process. This month s new resource is a handout Student Holiday Planner. This helps students determine what work, if any, they need to complete in the holidays. You will find it at the bottom of the THINGS TO PRINT page. Our school s subscription details to this online study skills website for high school students are found on the front page of this . Jen Scanlan Secondary Teacher And Some Online Safety Resources from our Recent E-Safety Presentation: Office of the esafety Commissioner NetAware (UK) Commonsense Media Child Wise Kids Help Line Stay Smart Online Australian Institute of Family Studies App: ZIPIT Game: The Lost Summer (July 2018)

6 Kuyper COLOURING and DESIGN COMPETITION Congratulations to our winners of the Design part of the Competition! Secondary: Georgia Huntington, Zoe Stewart, Keeley Stewart Primary: Hannah Cumming, Livinia Catt, Jasmine Sorrenson-Cox Junior: Summer Allen, Miah Allen, Orlando Esposito These lovely designs are available for you to colour in! Submit your Colouring to the Office by Friday 6 July 2018 (last day of school) Colour in one of the winning designs for your group. Use textas, coloured pencils, water colours or mixed media. Winning entries will be published in the newsletter. Japanese Student Visit August 2018 We are looking for 2 more Kuyper families to host our Japanese visitors. The students are aged between 14 & 16 and will be at Kuyper from August. Families will host 1 student each. You can specify whether you would prefer to host a boy or a girl. You would need to provide your student with a bed, all meals, and transport. They can share a room with your child/children. For hosting, your family will be paid $50 per night. If you have any questions, or to apply to host, contact Es Stewart in the Office or admin@kuyper.nsw.edu.au