I know I have mentioned on other occasions that I am reading through the Chronological Bible. This past week I have found myself returning to the story of Daniel, and specifically his relationship with King Nebuchadnezzar. Previously I wrote about Daniel remaining calm in a crisis and interpreting Nebuchadnezzar's first dream. Those who know the story well will recall that Nebuchadnezzar had another dream that Daniel interpreted. On that occasion, Daniel warned the King about being prideful about the achievements of the Babylonian empire and unless he humbled himself before the true and living God he would be removed from his position of power.
Chapter 4 of the book of Daniel explains that 12 months after Daniel had given the King this warning, that is exactly what happened. He was walking on his rooftop, admiring his empire, and claiming responsibility for it all. Verse 33 explains what happened next, “Immediately what had been said about Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled. He was driven away from people and ate grass like the ox.”
Last week the Senior Leadership Team spent a day offsite working through a range of strategic plans for the future of our school. It was a very worthwhile day, and I am excited to share with you some of our future plans at the appropriate time. To commence the day, we reflected on the many blessings that God has given us and the growth of the school – most grades next year will have waiting lists. At the same time, we were reminded that any achievements that occur as part of the school ministry are only because of God and the blessings He continues to bestow on us. At no point do we ever want to have our ‘Nebuchadnezzar moment’ and take credit for the achievements of the school as if we were responsible for them. As God clearly demonstrated, the moment that occurs, none of us would be suitable for leadership and would likely be removed.
In staffing news, you may have seen that we are currently advertising for a Learning Leader for our Science Faculty. While our wonderful Mr Robson will be remaining on staff, he has chosen to devote more of his time to his first love of teaching Science, which is why we are currently recruiting for a new Learning Leader.
Hopefully, you caught my short video inviting you along to our Shine Evening this coming Thursday 12th September. It is shaping up to be a wonderful night showcasing the talents and abilities of our students and the work they have managed to achieve. Events are scheduled from 6pm–8pm. I look forward to saying hello if you are able to join us.
God bless,
Community News & Prayer Points
Dates For Your Diary - Term 3
Junior School Celebration Assembly – Friday 27th September at 9am (Week 9)
Secondary School Celebration Assembly – Friday 27th September at 2pm (Week 9)
Last Day of Term 3 - Friday 27th September (Week 9)
Community News - Week 7, Term 3
SHINE EVENING
On Thursday 12th September (Week 7) we will have Shine Evening. An invitation from Mr Milligan has been sent to families via email. The evening will run from 6pm-8pm, and include the following (plus lots more):
School Band performances
Classroom displays
LEGO, Bible Timeline and Science Challenges
HSC CAPA Showcase and performances
Live sketching
Interactive classroom activities
Delicious waffles for sale
Samoa Fundraiser BBQ - sausage sizzle, treats, tea and coffee
YEARS 3-6 AFTER SCHOOL DISCO
On Wednesday 18th September (Week 8) we will be holding a Disco for students in Years 3-6.
The disco will run from 4pm-5:30pm followed by a sausage sizzle from 5:30pm-6pm.
Sausage sizzle order forms have been given to students and need to be returned to the front office by Monday 16th September.
The theme will be Under the Sea Glow in the Dark.
Kindergarten-Year 2 students will also have a Taster Disco during class time on the same day.
We look forward to some groovy dance moves.
OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD Operation Christmas Child is a wonderful initiative that spreads joy and hope to children in need around the world through shoebox gifts filled with toys, school supplies, and personal items. Each box costs $12.50 to ship, and this fee can be conveniently paid directly through the Operation Christmas Child website, which is the easiest method (click here to visit the website). Alternatively, cash can be included in an envelope with the box.
Shoeboxes are available from the office and should be returned before the end of Term 3 to ensure timely delivery. Participating in Operation Christmas Child not only brings a smile to a child's face, but is also a wonderful way for the children to hear the Gospel message and the hope that Jesus offers. To learn more and see a video about this initiative click here.
CONGRATULATIONS CROCOMBE FAMILY
Congratulations to Mrs Jessica Crocombe and her husband Bryce on the birth of their beautiful baby girl Elkie on Monday 2nd September! Big sister Harlow and big brother August are overjoyed with their new baby. We pray for God's blessing over this season for your family!
SAMOA FUNDRAISER TRIVIA NIGHT
If you have a business and would like to donate a prize for the evening, please contact Mr Alex Hellyer.
WCCS is seeking to fill the position of Science Learning Leader, starting in 2025.
If you, or someone you know, would be interested in partnering with us to equip young people to be responsible and responsive disciples, we would love to hear from you.
For more information about this position, please click here.
HARVEST BY PUZZLE BOX THEATRE
Puzzle Box Theatre has a new play, Harvest! Harvest is inspired by the book of Ruth in the Bible, and their mission as a group is to share the word of God through plays and musicals. The cast includes WCCS staff, students, a parent from our school community and an ex-student! Click here to buy tickets:
YEAR 6 CANBERRA
Recently our Year 6 students took an educational tour of the national capitol. Students were 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 capitol as part of their Civics and Citizenship education. To assist families in meeting the cost of the excursion the Australian Government is contributing funding ($30 per student) to our school under the Parliament and Civics Education Rebate program towards those costs. The rebate is paid directly to the school upon completion of the excursion.
Prayer Points - Week 7, Term 3
Give thanks for our recent school camps. The students and staff were safe, had fun, and were able to participate in some excellent praise, worship and devotions.
Give thanks for the recent opportunities to connect with our school communities at our Literacy Day events and Father's Day Breakfast!
Pray for our Year 12 cohort as they complete their final weeks of formal schooling.
Pray for a strong end of term for all of our staff and students; and that God would provide strength, patience and joy to our school community.
Junior School News
Junior School News - Week 7, Term 3
Greetings friends of Junior School.
We are still enjoying the memories from Canberra and Hill End. The kids have written some reviews for you to enjoy.
YEAR 5 HILL END
Ferns brushed our legs as we walked by. The large dents in the mountains captured the history of the once lively mines. As a kangaroo hopped by, I bent down and picked up a shiny piece of quartz, glistening in the sun. The old buildings and piles of rubble were covered in moss and rust, and were like photos containing snippets of ancient history.
We arrived at the small stream where we were going to go gold panning. The wet sand crunched underneath our feet as we walked down the slope and shovelled more dirt into our pan. Cheers and laughter filled the air as kids shouted out “EUREKA!” They had found gold! Soon after, we visited the cemetery and as we looked at the headstones, they showed us so much information and reminded us how lucky we are to live the way we do. We also learnt all about the old mines and the difficult lives of people at the time of the gold rush. That night, excited whispers and murmurs echoed from the paper-thin walls as we talked about the fun adventures we had had that day. Eventually, snores as loud and clear as thunder filled the air and could be heard from miles away. That morning, sadness consumed the camp as we gathered our stuff. Camp was finally over. Our bags sagged as we smuggled hundreds of quartz onto the bus and we looked out the window, knowing that this was an experience that we would never forget.
By Azalea H, Noa F, Lotus V
Our amazing and adventurous Hill End experience showed Year 5's courage and perseverance from being separated from loved ones, dark spaces and heights. Some of Year 5's favourite activities were the tour in the dark and historic gold mines, gold panning in the lake and seeing how truly beautiful God's creation is. We had an amazing time.
By Eliana D
YEAR 6 CANBERRA
Our Year 6 Canberra trip was an unforgettable experience. Visiting places like Parliament House, the War Memorial, Questacon, and the National Electoral Education Centre was fascinating, especially seeing what life was like in the past. Although it was challenging to focus on all the learning and listening, it was worth it because we gained so much insight into the incredible things people have done for us.
Learning to ski was an adventure in itself. We spent two hours in lessons, mastering how to stop and turn and going up the chair lifts gave us a breathtaking view of the land and mountains—it felt like we were in another world. We stayed at a cozy motel in Berridale, where we took warm showers, enjoyed a delicious dinner and gathered for devotions. Our devotions centred on identity in Christ and the struggles we face, which was really meaningful as we reflected on everything we’d learned.
The trip ended on a fun note with a stop at McDonald's and watching movies on the way back home - a perfect conclusion to an amazing journey!
By Ella A and Esther C
KEEPING KIDS SAFE ONLINE
Just a quick heads up regarding some inappropriate online material on YouTube that presents as innocent puppetry animation, if you are scrutinising your childrens’ online activities, at a glance, this could pass as children’s content but it is far from G-rated. The videos are from Jeffy and they are absolutely inappropriate for children. The producers refute the inappropriateness, but best you decide that for yourself and your family. Click here for a review of Jeffy.
INFANTS SWIM SCHEME
Next term (Term 4) we are preparing for our annual Infants Swimming Program. We have a new provider this year and a new bus that can carry an entire class with the teacher, woohoo! If you have a heavy/medium rigid drivers license and some time to volunteer we would love to hear from you. Or if you have friends or relatives who are looking for things to do or opportunities to serve, please contact the office on (02)4351 2020, leave your details, and Mr Marks will contact you personally. The program runs every day for a month, starting in Week 2, Term 4.
KISS AND DROP ZONE
This is a reminder to all parents to continue to use our school “Kiss and Drop” zone each morning. Most mornings, Mrs Smithers is on duty and can assist with children getting out of the car. Staff have been noticing an increasing number of parents using the Staff Carpark behind our Junior School buildings to drop off children. This is not a safe area to do the school drop off. Please ensure you are using the designated Kiss and Drop zone instead where we have staff on duty.
WEEKS 7 AND 8 IN JUNIOR SCHOOL
On Monday 9th September,we are continuing our relationship with our wonderful Police School Liaison Officer, who happens to be a parent in our school. After a wonderfully successful and thought provoking session with our Years 5 and 6 students last term, she will be speaking to our Year 4 students about keeping themselves and others safe.
On Tuesday 10th September, we have the dual blessing of our Oztag Gala Day and our Kindergarten Animal Farm Visit. See the Kindergarten Fortnightly Focus for details of this wonderful incursion. It is difficult to determine if the baby animals are cuter than the delighted squeals of our Kindergarten students as they interact with the baby animals.
Just a gentle reminder that we are hosting our Shine Evening this Thursday 12th September. An invitation from Mr Milligan has been emailed to families.
In Week 8 we are hosting our Term 3 sessions of Kindy Starters on Tuesday and Thursday. This is for our Kindergarten students starting at WCCS in 2025.
On Wednesday 18th September, Rev Shorten and his Pastoral Care Team are hosting the famous and highly anticipated Years 3-6 After School Disco – details for this have been emailed to families.
God bless,
Secondary School News
Secondary School News - Week 7, Term 3
Hello to all our wonderful Secondary families.
As we reflect on our calendar over the past two weeks, we recognise our staff and students are becoming tired and for some, perhaps a little stressed! Term 3 is wonderful; full of camps, assessments, excursions, exams, graduations, assemblies, chapel services …. to name a few! There is so much to be thankful for, and enthusiastic about, as we progress through this busy season.
We would recommend taking a moment to ensure you are maintaining positive wellbeing. Here are a few suggestions:
We would also love the share the latest video in our Wellbeing Series.
God bless,
REACH - Student Enrichment
Reach Student Enrichment - Week 7, Term 3
SPELLING BEES
Recently we had three students (Cameron P from Year 4 and Kira H and Jensen B from Year 7) competing in the State finals of the Prime Minister’s Spelling Bee.
With 1170 schools competing nationally, and many thousands of competitors from each state, only the top 200 NSW competitors were chosen to advance to the State finals, so this is indeed a wonderful achievement for these brilliant spellers! We wish them all the best for this next stage of the Prime Minister’s Spelling Bee.
Congratulations to our incredible spellers for Years K-6, who participated in our 2024 WCCS Spelling Bee. It was a wonderful competition, that highlighted our students’ fantastic skills. We are so proud of our K-6 participants and look forward to our upcoming Years 7 and 8 Spelling Bees, along with our inaugural inter-school Spelling Bee with GPCC and Charlton Christian College.
Kindergarten 1st – Timofey K 2nd - Jude S 3rd - Hannah G Year 1 1st - Oscar B 2nd - Triston L 3rd - George H Year 2 1st - Jude M 2nd - Sarah B 3rd - Josua P Year 3 1st - Toby C 2nd - Baicheng F 3rd - Kaitiaki T Year 4 1st - Sara C 2nd - Alfred H 3rd - Caragh S Year 5 1st - Rebekah G 2nd - Benjamin M 3rd - Noa F Year 6 1st - Kaiden K 2nd - Marcus C 3rd - Billy C
On Friday 23rd August, 14 WCCS students showcased their athletic talents at the CSSA Primary Athletics Carnival held at Blacktown International Sports Park. The students delivered outstanding performances, giving their all on the track and field. We extend our congratulations to the following students who have earned the opportunity to participate in the CIS Primary Athletics event scheduled for September 6th:
Malachi C - 12 Years Boys 800m
Marlo E - 11 Years Boys Long Jump
Ethan C - 9 Years Boys 100m
We extend our congratulations to the students who participated on the day: Ethan C, Nathan C, Amariah C, Malachi C, Billy C, Charlie C, Isaac C, Fletcher D, Marlo E, Ryder K, Anna L, Judah R, Joshua S and Elijah S.
MINI OLYMPICS
Recently our Junior School got to spend their Friday afternoon participating in a Mini Olympics. Our Years 8 and 9 students ran the games and brought the fun! Each team represented a country and they all took turns around a circuit of activities.
Thanks to our Secondary School PDHPE staff and students who made this such a great event!
Recently, 15 of our Secondary students attended the InterCru event at Green Point Christian College. They were welcomed with afternoon tea and then joined in singing praises to God with the GPCC band. One of the seniors from GPCC gave a stirring speech encouraging the gathered students to get stuck into reading their Bibles and shared personally the richness she had experienced in her own life as a result of doing just that.
Our very own Mr Joseph Newman, a graduate of GPCC, then gave an impassioned talk on the passage from Luke 8:43-48, encouraging the students to come to Jesus just as they are and experience His transforming power in their lives.
The students were then encouraged to break into mixed groups, share about themselves and pray for each other. One of our WCCS graduates, Emily Bell, and another Cru team member Zac, then shared with the students about the post Year 12 program that Cru offers. Emily is loving the experience.
A massive thank you to Mr Ralph Johns for driving the school bus for us in his own time. In big news, next term WCCS will be hosting the first ever MegaCru on the Central Coast where schools from across the Coast and the Hunter will gather during the day with a guest speaker, workshops and opportunities to mix and encourage one another.
Personal Development, Health, and Physical Education (PDHPE) is a key part of our students' development, providing them with essential knowledge, skills, and attitudes for making informed decisions about their lives. From Kindergarten to Year 10, PDHPE is a compulsory subject, emphasising health and personal development alongside other core subjects like English, Mathematics, and Science. The curriculum includes both classroom learning and practical activities, addressing crucial issues such as relationships, mental health, identity, diversity, and safety. The curriculum is a balanced mix of classroom learning and practical activities, focusing on the real issues that our children face both now and in the future-relationships, mental health, identity, diversity, sexuality, and safety in various contexts such as road, sun, water, and drug use. These topics are not just academic – they are essential life skills.
Through PDHPE, we aim to foster resilience, critical thinking, emotional management, and confidence in our students, alongside interpersonal skills like empathy, conflict management, and leadership. Physical education, often underestimated, is an integral part of this curriculum. It is not just about building fitness or playing games; it’s about purposeful learning that promotes lifelong participation in society. Through physical education, students learn to use their strengths to contribute to team success, develop skills for community engagement, and discover their physical potential. It’s about showing them what their bodies can achieve when they focus, strive, and give their best in every endeavour.
Last Wednesday, our students celebrated National Health and Physical Education Day with activities that included healthy foods, social interactions, meditation, reflection on God's goodness, gratitude practices, and physical activities that promote overall wellbeing. As parents/guardians, you play a crucial role as your child’s first and most influential role model. Your approach to health impacts them significantly. We are here to partner with you in promoting your child’s health and wellbeing.
Here are some ways to encourage your child's health:
1. Be Active Together: Incorporate physical activity into family time with walks, bike rides, or sports.
2. Prioritise Balanced Nutrition: Involve your child in meal planning and try new fruits and vegetables together.
3. Create a Screen-Free Zone: Designate time each day for screen-free activities to strengthen family bonds.
4. Encourage Outdoor Play: Promote outdoor activities that foster creativity and reduce stress.
5. Foster a Positive Mindset: Teach self-care, resilience, and gratitude, and support your child’s goals and challenges.
6. Be Supportive and Involved: Show interest in your child’s health and physical education activities at school, celebrating their achievements and attending events. Together, we can make a significant impact on our children’s health and wellbeing.
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