1st May, 2014 Term 2: Week 1/9 The Heartbeat of Mountain District Christian School
From Principal s desk... Welcome back to Term 2! I trust that you had a wonderful break with your families, celebrating Easter and maybe participating in an ANZAC day service. Unfortunately I was unable to attend an ANZAC day service this year, however, having attended them previously, I find it hard not to be moved by the stories and reflections that are shared about those that gave their lives defending the freedom we enjoy today. I am amazed by the sacrifice that the soldiers made. I can t imagine what it would have been like and am grateful that I haven t had to experience it. As I was reflecting on ANZAC day this year, I came across a song by Peter Barnes in regards to the ANZAC legacy. It is an inspiring song written after he visited the Adelaide River War cemetery in the Northern Territory where he saw the graves of Australians who gave their lives in the service and defense of their country. Peter felt he should do something to honour the memory of such incredible sacrifice. The chorus to the song goes The gift and love of His sacrifice is available to all nations and impacts us every day requiring a response in everything that we do! Can you hear Australia's heroes marching? Can you hear them as they march into eternity? There will never be a greater love There just couldn't be a greater sacrifice There just couldn't be While not taking anything away from the ANZACs and the incredible sacrifice they made, we do know someone that was so filled with love that He made the ultimate sacrifice. We celebrated His death and resurrection the week earlier. The gift and love of His sacrifice is available to all nations and impacts us every day requiring a response in everything that we do! He is risen indeed! This Saturday our Year 9 and 10 students head off to Canberra as part of their study of our nations capital. Please keep them in your prayers over the next week. We look forward to hearing back from them when they return. Jason Riding NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING Notice is hereby given that the ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING of the Mountain District Parent Controlled Christian School Association will be held at the Mountain District Christian School, 325 Macclesfield Road Monbulk, commencing at 7:30 pm Thursday 22 nd May 2014 to conduct the following business: Confirm the minutes of the Extraordinary General Meeting on 17 th October 2013 Receive and adopt the Annual Financial Statements for the year ended 31 st December 2013, and the reports of the Directors and Auditor Receive new Association members Election/Re-election of Board members Consider any other business that may be brought before the meeting in accordance with the Constitution Re-appoint Auditor By order of the Board Iain Chaney Company Secretary From the library- During the holidays Tim Nyhouse did an amazing job rebuilding the shelves in the library pit. We now have a new look picture book section. Bright Primary colours and stepped shelves made for front facing books, hence the comment below, made many times during library lessons on Monday, have you got new books? No but now we can see what books we have! Comments from Year 1 / 2 students on first seeing new library shelves in the pit. It s just like I walked into a new school. I like your new shelves. It s cool! It looks a lot neater. Have you vacuumed? Everything looks new. How did you get the shelves off? Have you got new books? Forms and Letters sent home this week: Term Letters Whole School Prep - Yr 6 Scholastic Book Order catalogues VCE Studio Art Excursion VCE Age Careers Expo Excursion Yr 9-10 Canberra Camp Information Yr 10 English Interactive Trial Program REMINDERS School Banking & Tuckshop begin next week
Parents please note... Primary Assembly date swap! Please note, Year 1/2KM will be leading Primary assembly on May 5th instead of Year 3/4EB. Year 3/4EB will now lead assembly on June 16th. All students will have the opportunity to buy a special gift for mum. Prices: $1 - $10 Please send money in a clearly marked envelope. Friday 9th May Craft Corner Bring your own or have a try with us. BYO Loom bands - Drawing Ask your teacher to put you on the join-up list. Places limited to 16 boys or girls - Year 3 to Year 6 Thursday s of Term 2 - Lunchtime - MPR Supervised by MDCS Parents Enrolments for 2015 We are currently looking at student enrolments for 2015. Preference is given to MDCS families so if you are planning to enrol a sibling for 2015, please contact the office as soon as possible. Spread the Word Did you know that due to our being situated out here in a lovely bush setting, some families still do not know MDCS exists! History shows that many of our families have enrolled as a result of recommendations from current or past families. Not that you need a carrot to recommend us but we still have a Spotters bonus of $500. Sometimes it takes a few recommendations to encourage a family to seek an education at MDCS so then the spotter s fee can be split. If you want more information contact Mel or Tony in the office. Hospitality Catch up. If you have a passion to serve God and the community through Hospitality, come join us. To kick off Term 2, we will be getting together Friday 2nd May, in the Staff Room at 10am. "New Website Coming Soon" We are currently revamping our website and it is looking great! Stay tuned for more details. 325 Macclesfield Rd P O Box 483 Monbulk 3793 Phone 9756 7244 Fax 9756 7356 mdcs@mdcs.vic.edu.au mdcs@mdcs.vic.edu.au
Chaplain s Chat... Hello Mountain District Christian School community. Welcome to term 2. I trust you all had a safe and restful term break and wonderful Easter. Our nation has just commemorated Anzac Day - a day on which we stop to remember the sacrifice of men and women in the name of our country s freedom. Perhaps, like me, you have older family members who participated in World War 2. As I try to imagine the horrors they witnessed in the name of freedom for this great Southland, I find myself wondering how I can best honour the trauma they endured. As a parent I have decided that the answer to that question lies in me modelling to my children how to resolve conflict calmly and with respect; being a family who enjoy each other s company and have fun together, and sharing with them about the One who also paid the ultimate price, but in the name of everlasting spiritual freedom for me and you. Rich blessings til next edition. Elissa White Chaplain Community News... Fundraising dinner for Grace Centre Mozambique Sat 17 May at 6.30pm, St Luke s, Cockatoo $40.00 per ticket for a three-course meal, entertainment and silent auction, RSVP to Sue, ph 0407 365 711 by 7 May please Grace Centre is run near Beria, in Mozambique on the south-east coast of Africa, by a local couple, Sylvia and Chico. As well as their own family of four children, they are committed to caring for around 20 orphaned children who live in extreme
Year 9 Food Tech & Cross Country cont... This week the Yr 9 Food Technology group celebrated a Christian Passover Meal. We took care in setting the table with a white damask cloth and several candles, as well as making sure the correct items were there. There were small dishes of salt water to symbolise the tears and bitter herbs (horseradish) to symbolise the bitterness of the suffering of the Jews under the rule of the Egyptian pharaoh; finger bowls to wash our hands in, symbolising the cleansing of our sins by Jesus sacrifice on the cross. Also, we ate unleavened bread, because the Israelites had no time to bake bread with yeast, and roast lamb. The lamb symbolised the blood of the lamb that was sacrificed to mark the doorposts of the houses of the Jews, in order to save them from death. This is why Jesus is regarded as the lamb of God, because his blood was sacrificed when he was crucified so that his death could atone for our sins and give us eternal life. Thea Maguire Food Technology teacher
House Cross Country cont...
House Cross Country cont. On the last day of Term 1 the secondary school students were involved in their House Cross Country event. It was excellent to see the students push their limits running around the track, especially up the hill, all to gain points for their house! The Principal issued a challenge of Beat the Old Guy. So our very fit Business Manager (Mr Drummond) took up the challenge of competing against the Year 10 and 11 boys. Despite the initial start up the hill, (he was coming last!) he overtook the younger generation around the track and come in a very respectable 3 rd place. Well done to the students who gave their best effort! The run was followed by a community BBQ lunch on the oval where we raised money for the Salvation Army. Each student then competed for their house in the novelty events. First was the car tow challenge, where each house was required to tow Mr Duke s car as fast as possible. The next event required the houses to nominate two groups to be their battleships, whose task it was to sink the other teams ships. This involved students being wrapped up in paper, armed with water pistols trying to work their way around the ocean wetting the other teams till their paper ripped. It was then announced that Green house won the day. But the fun wasn t over, the secondary students ran (yes they could still run) up the hill excitedly to collect the Easter eggs that had been hidden around the secondary classrooms. It was a great fun day!