PRINCIPAL S MESSAGE. The Table of Connection TERM 1. Gary Brummell

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1 Philippians 2:5-8 (NIV) 5 In your relationships Term with 2 Week one 5 another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not 26 consider May 2017 equality with God something to be used to His own advantage; 7 rather, He made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to death even death on a cross! Term 1 Week 9 30 March 2018 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: Fax: principal@rpcs.nsw.edu.au TERM 1 Fri 30 Mar Mon 2 Apr Easter (Long) Weekend Wed 4 Apr School at Work Tour w10.30am Sat 7 Apr OPEN DAY 10am 2pm Tues 10 Apr Years Parent Teacher Interviews Fri 13 Apr LAST DAY OF Term 1 P: Parents Morning Tea Mon 30 Apr FIRST DAY of Term 2 Fri 6 July LAST DAY of Term 2 PRAYER POINTS Praise God for the excellent preparation that is going into our annual Open Day on 7 April. Please pray that our students will have the opportunity over this Easter weekend to reflect on and be impacted by the enormity of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. PRINCIPAL S MESSAGE The Table of Connection As we approach Easter, I thought to share this article which reminds us of the Last Supper and the advent of the new Covenant and resulting faith community. Imagine going to church in the 1 st Century. If you were in a major Roman city such as Rome, Ephesus or Pompeii, you d leave your home and walk in your leather sandals (or barefoot) through the city on paved roads. The pavers in your city are large stone blocks, not as smooth or as square as the ones we find in our driveways or walkways today, and it is hard not to stub your toe or trip. You enter a house church and across the room, you observe that a slave, instead of serving others, is sitting next to a Roman citizen, their different statuses identified by their clothing, and they are praying together with their hands clasped. The conversation is going wonderfully with others around you when someone the elder stands up and says a prayer to lead the group into the Eucharist. The elder reads from the great apostle who had been to this city some years back, and what he reads is about Jesus betrayal and death and the resurrection to the throne of God. You hear about bread and body and about wine and blood, and then he passes bread and wine around the room. You snap off some bread, eat it, and then take a deep gulp of wine. You pass these to the magistrate next to you, and the table grows silent. Your thoughts wander to what has happened to you because of what happened to Jesus Him dying so that you are now saved from a life of sin. You recall your own liberation as you sit with a few dozen liberated people. The elder speaks about the cup and announces it is God s love and grace and Yes for everyone. He reports a sad story he heard about a church in Greece (you thought he was referring to Corinth but he didn t mention the city), where some of the wealthier followers of Jesus were eating before the poorer ones arrived. The elder makes it clear that Roman ways stop at the door, and that everyone, men and women, slaves and free, Jews and Greeks, and rich and poor are all one family in Christ. The elder then says this Passover-meal cup is a cup of thanksgiving (eucharistia), and that by drinking from that cup each person is participating in the death of Jesus, the Jewish Messiah who can liberate the Romans, and you realise how personal this is to you. He then says that eating the bread means you have just partaken in the body Jesus gave for us, a body that made you all one, whether you are Jewish or Roman, man or woman, a slave or a Roman citizen (which you are). As the sun is fading over the Italian countryside, you lose yourself in a reverie as you both listened to the elder teach and, at the same time, thought about your unbelieving husband and your older son. You began to pray for them both as you listened to him and back and forth you went between them and him, for quite a while as the elder spoke, and you prayed for God s good hand of grace to fall on your family as it had fallen on you. Throughout the evening, the elder has connected the whole of life to the Eucharist because the church begins at that table. What you experienced in the villa is an amazing fellowship, a new kind of family. Gary Brummell

2 A PRESENTS ALL SCHOOL NEWS OPEN DAY Saturday, 7 April 10.00am 2.00 pm See STAFF CAR PARK ON REGENT STREET Parents are reminded that the car park (Regent Street side) is for staff only. Please do not enter this carpark even if it is raining. There will be two Visitor car parking spaces made available for parents with appointments only. Thank you for your cooperation in ensuring our students safety. GROW Rule of the Week: Stay in Bounds Our rule for the next two weeks is Stay in Bounds. The changes to our playground have created some new areas and all students will have to learn how to use these areas well. When we take care to stay in bounds, we are respecting those around us and helping to keep each other and ourselves safe. This all helps to make our school a pleasant and happy environment. Let us value our community by staying in bounds. Get it? Got it? Gotcha! NEW PRINCIPAL IN 2019 At the Celebration and Dedication Evening recently Mr Brummell announced to the community that he would be concluding his term as Principal at the end of this year. The School Board will soon begin looking for a Principal to replace Mr Brummell for next year. He has been at RPCS since the year 2000 and will be sorely missed.

3 UNIFORM SHOP NB: All students will require winter uniform for Term 2 The Uniform Shop will be open during the school holiday on Friday 20 April 8am-12pm and 12.30pm-4pm. Parents and caregivers are reminded that students transition from summer to winter uniform at the beginning of Term 2. Parents and caregivers are encouraged to use the remaining weeks of Term 1 and Friday 20 April to ensure that their child/children have the correct winter uniform for the commencement of Term 2. Open: Fridays (term time) 8am-12pm & 12:30-4pm We gratefully accepts donations of 2 nd hand uniforms as they assist families in our community. Donations can be left at the office or the Uniform Shop on Fridays. Layby is available if you would like items set aside to pay them off slowly. Items can also be put on hold. Online ordering! Information and order forms can be found on our website under the Today tab. Orders are packed on Friday and sent home with students. Name labels: Personalised, iron-on name labels are available for $0.50 each. They are to be ironed on at home and come with instructions. Each Secondary blazer sold will have a free label included. INTERNATIONAL READ TO ME DAY PART 2 19 March was International Read to Me Day, a day where Secondary students read to Primary from Kindergarten to Year 2. It was a fine day, which allowed us to go outside and sit in the newly built Village Green and enjoy the warm sun. I waited for this day for 3 weeks, praying that it will be a great day and that I ll be able to make memorable moments with Primary kids. I always looked forward to this day as I really enjoyed reading to the kids and talking to them, later seeing them smile when they meet me again. (Sophia Lee, Year 10) ANZAC DAY DAWN SERVICE Wednesday, 25 April RPCS families are invited to attend the Cumberland RSL sub-branch ANZAC Day Dawn Service to be held from 5.30am in Auburn Memorial Park, Rawson St., Auburn. CASUAL TEACHING STAFF Applications are always welcome from qualified and experienced teachers who would like to be considered for casual teaching opportunities at our school. Visit for an application form. CASUAL BUS DRIVERS NEEDED The school is looking for casual bus drivers to support our regular drivers on our buses. RPCS currently operates two buses which are both Mitsubishi Rosa (25 seat automatic). The primary requirements are that applicants meet the school s employment criteria and possesses a licence to drive light rigid (LR) or above. This role will mainly support the current team of drivers as needed on the morning and/or afternoon school bus runs. For more information please contact Mr Wilfred Morrow, the school s Property Manager via

4 HEARTBEAT CHURCH 61 Regent Street, Regents Park 2143 ENGLISH CLASSES FOR ADULTS Join our fun and friendly English language classes where you can learn and share. When: Tuesdays (term time) - From: 10am - 12pm Where: Heartbeat Church MUMS & BUBS PLAYGROUP Who: For children 0 5 yrs When: Friday (school terms) 10.00am-12.00pm Where: Heartbeat Church What: Play time, Morning tea, Story, Craft, Music & Movement Fee: $ 2 per family per session Contact: (Church office) YOUTH GROUP Time: Every Friday pm (school term time) Location: Heartbeat Church Program: Bible study & discussion Contact: (Pastor Mitch) SUNDAY SCHOOL Do you know that we have Sunday School for kids? Time: Every Sunday from am Classes: Bubbles (3 yr old to Year 1) Splash (Year 2 & 3) Xstream (Year 4, 5 & 6) Program: Worship, singing, Bible stories, Crafts, Prayers Contact: Heartbeat Church HEARTBEAT COMMUNITY CARE Heartbeat Community Care welcomes donations of quality, 2 nd -hand clothing, shoes and homewares (no electricals). Our Emergency Relief program welcomes donations of non-perishable food items such as canned soup, Weet-Bix and basic hygiene items such as toothpaste. Donations to: Heartbeat Community Care (Shop 1/5 Amy Street, Regents Park).

5 PRIMARY NEWS OPEN DAY SATURDAY, 7 APRIL: INTERNATIONAL FOOD COURT On 7 April we will be holding our Open Day to promote our school community to families who may be considering Christian school for their children. It is a great opportunity to showcase the diversity of our community and one of the most popular features is our International Food Court. If you are willing and able to help promote your culture s cuisine by bringing in a dish, please contact Mrs Guerra in the Primary office ASAP! PARENTS MORNING TEA 6 April, 2018 Parents are invited to a morning tea to be held in the Hall during Assembly on Friday, 6 April the second last Friday of Term 1. SPEAKER AT FRIDAY ASSEMBLY, 13 APRIL On our last day of term, we will have the pleasure of the company of one of our previous teachers, Mrs Cheung who has been teaching in Cambodia for the last year and will be sharing her experiences with our students. MOTHER S DAY ASSEMBLY FRIDAY, 11 MAY On Friday, 11 May, our second week back from holidays, we will be honouring our mothers at our Mother s Day Assembly. Mums! We need you to be there! More details will be provided in the weeks ahead. YEAR 6 CANBERRA EXCURSION MAY This year our Canberra Excursion will be limited to Year 6 (Year 5 will get their turn next year). There are no additional costs associated with this excursion. More information will be sent home this week. PARENTS BREAKFAST & DEVOTION-PB&D PB&D is held every Tuesday in H4: Breakfast is provided from 8.30am, with a brief (15 min) devotion at 9am. Parents are welcome to stay for some or all of it. Our next PB&D will be Tuesday, 2 April in the Hive. CHINESE PARENTS BIBLE STUDY (MANDARIN) Every Wednesday from 1.45 pm pm at H4 during school terms. Contact - Michelle Lin at Heartbeat Church on mlin@rpcs.nsw.edu.au or

6 PRIMARY ATHLETICS CARNIVAL On Tuesday, 20 March, Stage 2 and Stage 3 held our Athletics Carnival. Everyone looked amazing in their colours as they represented Team Booth and Team Liddel. This year, participation was fantastic with many students entering all field events and track events. It was great to see our Sports Captains taking the initiative to lead their own teams in loud cheers and chants, showing the younger students team spirit and encouragement. A big congratulations to everyone who came on the day and everyone who went in an event. It was a very close battle between the two Houses this year, with Booth taking the victory once again! Congratulations Booth! We would like to express our appreciation and thanks to all the parents who helped with the events and the teachers who continue to show dedication and effort to make sure the students have a delightful day. The Zone Team will be selected and finalised this term, in order to prepare the students for the Zone Athletics Carnival in Term 2. PEER PRESSURE By Focus on the Family Peer pressure is a powerful force in a teen s life. But not all peer pressure is bad for them. Almost all teens get to an age where they pull away from mum and dad and look to their friends for acceptance and approval. When that happens, they can often be pressured into doing things they know is wrong. We ve all heard horror stories of good kids going bad because they got caught up with the wrong crowd. But peer pressure is a two-way street. There s such a thing as healthy peer pressure where kids encourage each other to take the high road when tempted, and to excel instead of settling for mediocrity. Instead of pulling each other down, good friends pray for each other, and hold each other accountable. And they look for ways to set an example for others. That s why it s so important to steer your kids toward the right kinds of friends. Because peer pressure could be the best thing that ever happened to your child. For more parenting insights, visit RETURN AND EARN Last week, we returned another 500 containers, raising $50 for Compassion. In total we have raised $217 and recycled 2170 containers that would have ended up in landfill. Thank you for your support! Remember to bring in containers eligible for the return and earn scheme. Bottles, cans and tetra paks sold in the school canteen can be placed in our yellow Return and Earn Bin next to the canteen. We will receive 10c for every container returned. If you would like to bring in any eligible containers from home, these would be gratefully received. Please do not send in Milk, 2L Juice or Cordial containers, Yakult containers or Containers manufactured overseas, as these will not be accepted. Parents who might be able to assist with the returning of these containers, please contact the Primary office. Visit for more information. COLES SPORTS FOR SCHOOLS Only a few more weeks to help our school earn sports equipment through Coles Sports for Schools! To date our school has earned 2750 vouchers. Simply return these vouchers to the school and we will be able to redeem them for sporting equipment for our students to enjoy next year. Easy!

7 PRIMARY ASSEMBLY Each Friday (9:00-9:30am) we hold Primary Assembly in the school hall. This is a time when Primary classes come together to celebrate God s goodness. Parents and friends are very welcome to attend, particularly when your child s class is rostered to share in Assembly. Stage Assembly dates are listed below for your convenience: Class Good Friday Stage 3 Assembly Date 30 March 6 April Parent Morning Tea 13 April CRUNCH N SIP Good nutrition and healthy eating habits are an important part of learning. Each morning our students enjoy Crunch n Sip, when they will have a drink of water and eat a serving of fresh fruit or vegetables. We ask parents to support this by providing your child with a serving of fresh fruit or vegetables for their Crunch n Sip break. Students should also bring a drink bottle filled with water. Rather than sweets or packets of chips, why not pack a second Crunch n Sip for your child to enjoy at recess time? Each week, the Cancer Council of NSW provide us with nutrition snippets to encourage healthy habits. This week s snippet promotes the Cancer Council s Fruit and Veg Sense Workshops. If you are interested in ways to help your family eat healthier meals, you can either contact the Primary office to express your interest or register at

8 RPCS FUTURE SECONDARY NEWS PARENT TEACHER INTERVIEWS YEARS Years 11 & 12 Parent Teacher Interviews will be held on Tuesday 10 April from pm and pm. Bookings can be made from Tuesday 27 March until Monday 9 April inclusive. Parents will be sent an with a link on 23 March that will take them to their child s booking screen in the school system (Spider). Parents without addresses in the school system will be sent a letter and they will need to make their interview appointments by calling the school office on Parents may only book one session per teacher (i.e. no double bookings). Where your child has the same teacher for two or more subjects, please make only one booking with that teacher. The teacher will be able to discuss your child s progress in all subjects during the one interview. This will also help ensure that as many parents as possible are able to meet with the teachers. If you have two or more children with the same teacher on the same interview day, please feel free to make separate bookings to discuss each student. DISABILITY PROVISIONS FOR THE 2018 HSC - DEADLINE 13 APRIL 2018 The NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) has specifically developed the disability examination provisions program to assist students in completing the Higher School Certificate examinations. NESA s aim is to offer practical support to students by providing provisions such as extra time to rest and/or write, writers or readers, special coloured examination papers. If students have a special examination need whether it is related to a physical condition, visual impairment, (including colour blindness), hearing loss or learning difficulties, please contact Mrs Diane Dorizas in the school office, to discuss the special need. CAREERS Recently, TAFE NSW presented to Career Advisors from NSW school, their initiatives and changes for 2018/9. It is very exciting to know that students who select to do either TVET in Year 11 / 12 or those who decide to start a vocational training course after Year 12 at TAFE, have a multitude of pathways that can ultimately lead to a degree with real industry experience. Many of the TAFE degrees have 100% employment rates even before the course has finished and the students graduated. This shows how much importance employers place on having real industry experience as part of tertiary training is. The following is an edited extract from an article from The Conversation on 21 March 2018: Only a quarter of undergraduate university admissions for domestic students are made on the basis of an ATAR according to a new discussion paper from Victoria University s Mitchell Institute. The paper highlights a growing disconnect between the role the ATAR plays in schools and universities. In 2016, only 26% of domestic undergraduate university admissions were made on the basis of secondary education with an ATAR down from 31% in This would surprise many young people, as it seems at odds with the message reinforced by the media that the ATAR is everything. In 2017, around 60% of NSW undergraduate university offers were based as non-atar, showing a variety of pathways to higher education. Non-ATAR admissions can be made on the basis of secondary school results (without ATAR), previous VET study, interviews, portfolios, equity entry pathways. In 2017, 69% of undergraduate offers in the fields of health and education were non- ATAR/non-Year 12. For nursing, this was 78%. TAFE NSW, admits students to Certificate II, III or IV on the basis of interview, portfolio and best subject in HSC. TAFE NSW does not use ATAR as a criteria for entry into their courses. Issue No 1 out now. Check our website. So whatever you do, do it all for the honour & glory of the Lord, 1 Cor 10:31