WCCS Newsletter - Wyong Christian Community School

Principal's Message - Week 1, Term 2

Welcome back, everyone, to Term 2. I do hope that you were able to enjoy some downtime over the holidays. More importantly, I hope you were able to give some thought and time to intentionally celebrating Easter. In my last newsletter article, I reflected on Easter landing in the middle of the holidays, which is uncommon. I intended to ensure that I took the time to prepare myself spiritually for the season of Easter and not just rush into it as can happen if it is during term time.

As part of that intentionality, I found time to watch the Passion of the Christ movie again. I am very aware that for many people, it is simply too violent and confronting to watch. I would certainly agree that there are many vicious and brutal scenes. At the same time, there is evidence to suggest that it accurately portrays just what Jesus went through.

For thirty years, I have been trying to communicate my thankfulness to Jesus for what He has done in rescuing me from my sin. After watching the film, combined with the season of Easter, I found myself even more motivated to be sincere in my gratitude to our Lord Jesus Christ.

Each time I reflect on the crucifixion story I find myself impacted in different ways. Two particular elements stood out to me again. Seeing the vicious way the Roman soldiers tortured Jesus and the insults He endured from the crowd; for Jesus to respond by praying for them all, as Luke 23:34 states, Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” It truly is an immeasurable act of grace and forgiveness that only our Lord and Saviour is able to grant.

The second moment that again impacted me was just before He dies on the cross Jesus cries out “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46). As aligned as Jesus was to the will of His Father, even He had a moment where He felt like God had left Him. I’d imagine that most of us have had moments where we felt God wasn’t hearing our prayers, or that He had abandoned us in our time of trial. Even our Lord and Saviour had a moment like that, further reminding us that He knows all that we are going through and can relate to what it truly feels like.

I do hope the events of Easter were an encouragement to you and a reminder of the Lord we serve. But more than that, I hope it impacts us, not just for a few days, as we eat Easter eggs and enjoy public holidays, but that it would remain with us all our days, and motivate us to live lives that bring glory and honour to our Lord Jesus Christ. He certainly deserves it.

This week, we welcome Ms Robyn Reid to the teaching staff of our school. Mrs Jade Dobson will be heading off on Maternity Leave at the end of Week 1. We look forward to the impending news of the arrival of another child for the Dobsons and look forward to the contribution Ms Reid will make to the teaching of Visual Arts in Secondary School.

God bless,

Community News - Week 1, Term 2

ANZAC DAY ASSEMBLY

We will be holding a K-12 ANZAC Assembly on Tuesday 29th April (Week 1, Term 2) at 12pm in our MPC.

Families are welcome to attend.

MOTHER'S DAY BREAKFAST

JUNIOR SCHOOL MOTHER'S DAY STALL

Our Junior School Mother's Day Stall will be held on Friday 9th May. Junior School students will visit the stall during class time. Secondary School students will have the option to purchase gifts at lunchtime if they would like to.

All gifts will cost between $1-$8 and cards are available for $1.

Students can pay cash (please send coins if possible) or there are card facilities available.

Unfortunately, we are unable to offer IOUs.

All proceeds from the stall are donated to Compassion.

JUNIOR SCHOOL GRANDPARENTS' MORNING

STAFF BABY ANNOUNCEMENT

Congratulations to Mr Rowan Adams and his wife, Louise, on the arrival of their baby boy , Percy Vincent Adams. Percy was born on Thursday 17th April, weighing 3.48kg and measuring 50cm long.
Please keep them in your prayers as they settle into being a family of three.

IMPORTANT REMINDER - ALLERGIES

Please be reminded that we are a “High Risk Foods – Minimised” school. This means that families, students and staff are requested to refrain from bringing fava beans, peanuts, tree nuts, and peanut butter or Nutella (chocolate/hazelnut) spreads to the school. Please adhere closely to this policy, as we have numerous students throughout the school who have an anaphylactic allergy to nuts and fava beans.

SCHOOL APP

Please be reminded that WCCS utilises our School App to communicate important information with parents (along with our fortnightly Newsletter and EdSmart). The App is available for free download from the App Store and Google Play by searching ‘Wyong Christian Community School’. The App contains lots of great information on school notices, events, staff email addresses and our Newsletter. You can also submit student absences via the App.

WCCS PARENTS' PRAYER GROUP

Our Parents' Prayer Group is an opportunity for WCCS parents and carers to gather each week and pray for our school community.

When: 8:45am on Wednesdays during term time.

Where: Wyong Baptist Church Green Room - accessible via the Good Day Kiosk.

The group is hosted by our School Chaplain, Rev Matt Shorten. All are welcome to come and pray together.

LOST PROPERTY

We had many uniform items in Lost Property during Term 1 that were either not labelled or the student's name was not legible. Please clearly label all of your child/ren's uniform items.

We also ask that you please regularly check that your child is wearing their own uniform items and not another student's. Particularly during the cooler months, it is common that students wear a jumper to school and then take it off during the day; often being left on the ground and then mistakenly picked up by another student and taken home. This can become frustrating for both parents and students, so we ask that you please make a conscious effort to check your uniforms.

Please also encourage children to check their own clothing and to put their uniforms straight into their school bag if they are not wearing them. Thank you.

CHESS TUITION

Chess classes will be held once again in Term 2 for Years K-12 on Tuesdays from 3:15pm to 4:15pm, starting Tuesday 29th April.

Activities include group lessons on a demonstration chess board or interactive whiteboard, puzzle solving and fun practice games.

Students earn merit awards by making checkmates, or by displaying skills and positive qualities, which all good chess players strive to develop.

Each student in the Chess program will also receive access to Chess Squad, which is an online teaching/playing platform.

If your child is interested in taking part in the class, please email office.sydneyacademy@gmail.com for an enrolment form.

For all enquiries, please contact Sydney Academy of Chess on (02) 9745 1170.

Q & A with Rev - Week 1, Term 2

Many times over the years, I have been asked when teaching about the Creation Stories in the book of Genesis, the following question: “But what about the dinosaurs?”

Sometimes I am a bit flippant and answer, “But what about the kangaroos?” What sits as a layer under this question, though, is something about whether science and the Bible can co-exist and whether they complement or contradict one another. Depending on the child’s age, as this sort of question can come from any age, my answer will actually vary a little bit. Open confession here too, I approach this question with both a theological and scientific perspective in either hand, and I am not a literalist when it comes to the Creation stories. I am happy to chat about this with anyone who is interested.

The six days of the Creation Story we find in Genesis 1 and the first bit of Chapter 2 are a beautiful poem (possibly a song) that describes to us who creates and why He creates. It beautifully describes God bringing chaos into order as He creates. The first 3 days describe different spaces that in the last 3 days He fills with light and life. Day 1 partners to Day 4, Day 2 to Day 5 and Day 3 to Day 6. At the pinnacle of creation is humankind, whom God describes as very good, and then He rests. You can see how cleverly this has been put together, even in the English language. In its original Hebrew there is even a pattern in how many words are used in each sentence. It is an absolute work of art.

Now, most young people love music and often have a favourite, so I like to ask them what their favourite song is. I then will often ask them, "Would you read the lyrics of your favourite song as though it were a science textbook?" and they always answer, “No!” unless they are being cheeky. So the next question to ask them is, “Then why do you read this creation story/poem/song as though it is a science textbook? That doesn’t seem fair or reasonable.” The dinosaur question is a great one to talk seriously about because it opens up a conversation about all the different types of literature in the Bible and how much we can learn if we have eyes to see and minds that will read without dinosaur prejudice.

Next newsletter, we will pick up a follow-up question from the dinosaur one and explore this together a bit more.
God bless,

Junior School News - Week 1, Term 2

Greetings and welcome back friends of Junior School. We pray you had a blessed Easter and found your way to church to celebrate the pinnacle of our Christian Calendar.

Easter is so rich in meaning, imagery and purpose for us people of faith. One of the things I love to do at Easter is host a traditional Jewish-style Passover feast, a memorial for the Last Supper that Jesus enjoyed with His disciples and in memory of the Passover in Egypt for the ancient Hebrews. Probably the most significant element of the service, for me, is the Afikomen. The service starts with the lighting of the candles, usually done by the mother. For Christians, this symbolises bringing the light of the world into the celebration. The bread (Matzah) is unleavened (no yeast - symbolic for no sin); it is roasted over open coals so it has slight burn stripes; it has holes poked through it; and it is then broken into three parts. So the Matzah is broken, striped and pierced, sound familiar? Then the largest part (Afikomen) is placed between the top and bottom pieces, separated by a napkin and hidden away for someone to seek and find. Three pieces? Father, Son and Holy Spirit, then the middle piece being hidden for someone to seek and find. Oh my, I absolutely LOVE IT! Jesus is right in the middle of the Passover feast.

If you are interested and available, on Friday, I will be unpacking the elements of the Last Supper with the children during Chapel and how it all points to Jesus. Please come and join us if you can. I am hoping that the kids will come home with a whole bunch of questions.

Then, right on the back of the ultimate sacrifice came ANZAC Day commemoration, when so many of our brave and honoured military mirrored the example of Jesus. This was an emotionally charged and humbling memorial. For those families involved in ANZAC Day services, may God richly bless your family’s service and legacy.

STAFF UPDATES

This term we will see some changes around Junior School. Mrs Smithers and Mr Knibbs are both heading off for Long Service Leave. Mrs Benita Wolstenholme will be ministering with 6K for the first five weeks of term. Even though Mr Knibbs won’t be around for the start of the term, there will still be a stack of sporting opportunities for our energetic ‘sportos’. Mr Higgins and Mr Herbert will be ensuring that the sporting teams are fired up and ready to roll.

Mrs Brown is moving into the Head Of Junior School - Teaching and Learning position, and as a result, Mrs Bethany Hansen will be taking the reins of 1B for the entire term.

We are pleased to announce that Mrs Reynolds is going to cover the Infants Learning Leader position for Term 2. Mrs Reynolds will still teach her class and have some extra duties to fulfil.

Mrs Wolstenholme and Mrs Hansen are well known to the children and community, as they have covered blocks in the past few years, but please feel free to make yourself known to them. They can both be found at Wyong Baptist Church, serving and/or worshipping every Sunday.

YEARS 3 & 4 CAMP TOUKLEY

One of the events we didn’t get to share with you last term was our Years 3 and 4 Camp Toukley experience. We are delighted to announce that thirty students decided to make public declarations to follow Jesus during our night service. For the students that made this decision, we will present them with a devotional book with a dated and inscribed bookplate sticker congratulating them on their decision to follow Jesus. We would like to humbly thank Mrs Hutchings, our generous Head Librarian, for providing these devotional mementos this year.

Mr Worrall has kindly shared his thoughts about camp.

What an unforgettable two days our Years 3 and 4 students had at Camp Toukley. After a few downpours in the morning, the skies cleared and we enjoyed perfect weather for the rest of our adventure. The sunshine made our Lighthouse Walk especially enjoyable, and thankfully, no one got lost trying to become the next great explorer.

Thursday night brought a real highlight with our special worship time. Gathered together, students lifted their voices in praise and reflected deeply on a powerful message from Rev Shorten. It was a beautiful and thoughtful evening, encouraging many to consider what faith in Christ means for them.

The camp food was another crowd-pleaser. From a massive breakfast to a tasty dinner, every meal was met with enthusiasm and plenty of students asked for second helpings. No student went hungry.

The giant swing was a showstopper. Cheers, gasps, and a few high-pitched screams echoed across the campgrounds as students bravely pulled the rope and launched through the air, especially those who made it to the top. It was a perfect blend of nerves, excitement and the sudden discovery that your stomach can, in fact, do somersaults.

We’re incredibly proud of our Years 3 and 4 students for their courage, kindness and teamwork throughout the camp. A huge thank you to our dedicated staff and amazing parent helpers. Without you, we’d probably still be trying to untangle harnesses and figure out how to zip up our sleeping bags. Your support and time away from your families is greatly appreciated.

God’s richest blessings to all.

Chat soon,

Secondary School News - Week 1, Term 2

We hope you had a relaxing and refreshing break and are ready to embark on an exciting second term together. As we step into Term 2, we are filled with enthusiasm for the opportunities ahead - whether it's new learning experiences, extracurricular activities, or the continued growth of our school community. We look forward to partnering with you to support your child’s success this term and beyond.

SAFETY ONLINE

In the final days of Term 1, you will have received an email, “Cyberbullying - A Message from our SS Wellbeing Team 2025”. Hopefully, you were able to take a moment to read through the information provided and found it helpful as you navigate these challenges. Please see below the current updates from the eSafety Commissioner.

HELPING YOUR FAMILY STAY SAFE ON DEVICES AND APPS

New built-in restrictions for Instagram Teen Accounts

Teens under 16 won’t be able to go Live or turn off protections from unwanted images in DMs without a parent’s permission under additional Instagram Teen Account protections. Meta, who own Instagram and Facebook, are also planning to make Teen Accounts available on Facebook and Messenger. Find out more.

Apple adds child safety measures

Apple is introducing new measures to the App Store to better protect young people online. It’s part of a broader effort to minimise data collection and give parents more control over what's shared with app developers. Parents will be able to update their child's account age if they previously set it incorrectly, and will be able to consent to their child's age range being shared with app developers so they'll be shown more age-appropriate content in the App Store. Read more in Apple’s Helping Protect Kids Online White Paper.

TikTok introduces new family features

TikTok has introduced new family pairing features, giving parents additional tools to set boundaries and customise limits. A new in-app meditation feature is designed to help teens wind down after they use TikTok after 10pm. Find out more about TikTok and how to report online abuse or block someone by referring to the eSafety Guide.

INTRODUCING THE YEAR 9 HOME ROOM TEAM

Here’s to a wonderful Term 2 full of achievement, growth, and memorable moments!

As we head into week one, our staff and students will be undertaking preparations for the Red Centre Road Trip. Please enjoy the introductions below.

God Bless,

Reach Student Extension - Week 1, Term 2

Term 2 will certainly be filled with many fun learning opportunities, from Debating and da Vinci Decathlon to a variety of Writing and Maths competitions, as well as our annual Science Fair!

DEBATING

Our Years 5, 6, 7 and 9 debaters continue to train together each week in preparation for competing against schools across Australia in the Australian National Virtual Debating Competition and the newly established Hunter and Central Coast Debate Competition.

DA VINCI DECATHLON

We wish our Years 5-9 teams all the best, as they head off to Knox Grammar on the 20th, 21st and 22nd May to compete in the State da Vinci Decathlon competition.

WHAT MATTERS WRITING COMPETITION

We are never too young to make a difference in the world, and I’d love to encourage our Years 5-12 students to consider using the written word as a way to have their voices heard. In the What Matters Writing Competition, Years 5-12 students may submit fiction, non-fiction, poetry or prose of up to 600 words by Friday 16th May. For more details, click here.

WORDS ON THE WAVES WRITING COMPETITION & WORKSHOP

Our Years 4-9 student authors may like to enter the Words on the Waves Writing Competition. They would submit a narrative, based on the theme ‘Into the Woods’ of up to 500 words to compete in this Central Coast Competition by Friday 9th May. For more details, click here

I am looking forward to taking our Years 5 and 6 Extension Writing groups to The Ripple Effect Writing Workshop, to be held at the Ourimbah Campus of the University of Newcastle on Thursday 29th May. Our young writers are looking forward to meeting successful authors, being inspired by great talks and extending their skills through writing workshops.

MATHEMATICS EXTENSION - BEBRAS

During Week 1, our Years 3-6 Extension Mathematics students will enjoy challenging themselves with Round 1 of the Bebras competition. It is such a delight to hear the room full of ‘maths talk’ and critical thinking, as students work together to solve these computational thinking challenges.

ICAS

We are looking forward to once more offering our students the opportunity to further develop their higher-order thinking and problem-solving skills through ICAS, a highly acclaimed online academic competition. Every student who participates is celebrated and recognised with a printed certificate in each subject area, and a results report to track their development each year. Top performers are eligible for one of the highly coveted ICAS medals.

The dates of this year’s competitions are as follows:

ICAS Digital Technologies Competition: Monday 4th - Friday 8th August (Years 2-7)
ICAS Writing Competition: Monday 4th - Friday 8th August (Years 3-12)
ICAS English competition: Monday 11th - Friday 15th August (Years 2-12)
ICAS Spelling Competition: Monday 18th - Friday 22nd August (Years 2-12)
ICAS Science competition: Monday 18th - Friday 22nd August (Years 2-12)
ICAS Maths Competition: Monday 25th - Friday 29th August (Years 2-12)

  If you wish for your child to participate in ICAS this year, please complete the following steps:

Read about ICAS subjects and prices here
Visit the Parent Portal to sign up for the chosen subject areas here
If needed, our school's access code is – YUV807
Enter your child’s details, select the subject areas your child would like to participate in, and then proceed to payment.  
The last day to sign up will be Friday 25th July 2025

Mrs Anne Livette-Vial | High Potential & Enrichment Teacher

School Newsletter

What’s next?

School Newsletter

WCCS Newsletter - Week 1, Term 2, 2025

In This Newsletter

Principal's Message

Principal's Message - Week 1, Term 2

Community News

Dates For Your Diary - Term 2, 2025

Community News - Week 1, Term 2

Prayer Points - Week 1, Term 2

Q and A With Rev

Q & A with Rev - Week 1, Term 2

Junior School News

Junior School News - Week 1, Term 2

Secondary School News

Secondary School News - Week 1, Term 2

REACH - Student Extension

Reach Student Extension - Week 1, Term 2

Principal's Message

Community News

Q and A With Rev

Junior School News

Secondary School News

REACH - Student Extension

Principal's Message

Community News

Q and A With Rev

Junior School News

Secondary School News

REACH - Student Extension

What’s next?