School Newsletter

Making Deals with God

Currently in my Bible reading I am working my way through the book of 1 Samuel. I believe there is considerable benefit from studying the Old Testament and learning from the decisions and actions of those who have gone before us. At the same time, there remains much that I am still unsure of when considering some of the events recorded.

You may be familiar with the story in 1st Samuel, of how Samuel came into this world. His mother, Hannah, was deeply grieved that she was unable to have children. Her husband, Elkanah, had two wives, and it didn’t help Hannah’s emotional health that Elkanah’s other wife, Peninnah, continually provoked Hannah because she had already borne children. In her grief Hannah cries out to the Lord in prayer and offers an arrangement with God – ‘….if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember me and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life…’ 1 Samuel 1:11.

I wonder whether you have ever found yourself in a situation where you were tempted to make a deal with God. Where you may have found yourself tempted to pray words to the effect of… 'If you do this for me, God, then I will do that for you.' In Hannah’s situation, God chose to bless her with children, firstly Samuel and then five others. Samuel did go on to be the famous priest who lived during the time of King Saul and King David. But I do wrestle with the notion that this is because of the agreement that Hannah negotiated with our Lord.

Whenever we are in a negotiation, it seems that it comes from the premise that both parties have something to gain. You might be negotiating the sale or purchase of an item; either way, you have something to gain in this instance, either the money for selling the item or the product itself. It seems strange to think that we can negotiate with God as if we have something to offer Him that He would benefit from or need. Crying out to God in our anguish is very human – there are countless examples of this occurring throughout the Bible. Indeed, we are encouraged in Philippians 4:6 ‘...in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.’ He certainly wants to hear from us, maybe not so much to make deals with Him, but to let Him know that we are doing it tough and we would value His help.

Isn’t it a blessing that, because of Jesus, we have access to the creator of the universe to cry out to in our times of trouble?

God bless,

• Aladdin JR. Performances - Tuesday 1st, Wednesday 2nd and Thursday 3rd July (Week 10)
• Junior School Celebration Assembly - 9am, Friday 4th July (Week 10)
• Secondary School Celebration Assembly - 12pm, Friday 4th July (Week 10)
• Last Day of Term 2 - Friday 4th July (Week 10)

ALADDIN JR. TICKETS ON SALE

We are so excited for our upcoming K-12 musical production of Aladdin JR.

Click here to purchase your tickets!

SCHOOL PHOTO DAY

School Photo Day will be held on Thursday 12th June (Week 7, Term 2). Families have received an email with information about ordering school photos.

EVERY TRIBE AND TONGUE EVENT

On Wednesday 11th June (Week 7, Term 2), we will be celebrating our diversity and uniqueness by gathering as a whole community. We are all part of God’s Big Family! The vision for this day, as part of our Wellbeing Week, is to provide an opportunity for students to interact with many people, from many cultures, and to learn more about their uniqueness and value. The inspiration for the name comes from Revelation 7:9 - a picture of God's children uniting in heaven.

NAIDOC WEEK

On Thursday 31st July (Week 1, Term 3), we will be running a NAIDOC Week Assembly and Bake Sale during lunch. This year, the NAIDOC Week theme is, The next generation: Strength, Vision and Legacy. Year 7 students have been asked to donate baked goods to help serve and raise money for the Indigenous Literacy Foundation. We are also seeking students who would like to get involved in our Assembly or Bake Sale. If your child would like to be a part of NAIDOC Week or if you have any enquiries, please email Lmakepeace@wyongccs.nsw.edu.au.

WOOSH VACATION CARE PROGRAM

Please click here to view the WOOSH Vacation Care program. There are lots of fun activities planned for the July school holidays!

ELEVATE EDUCATION PARENT WEBINAR

Elevate Education will be hosting a live Q&A session for parents on Wednesday 18th June.

Elevate works with students, delivering high-impact workshops on study skills, motivation, wellbeing, and exam preparation. By tuning into their webinar series, you’ll learn how you can help support your child at home by reinforcing the skills they’re learning at school.

Live Parent Q&A: Ask Me Anything

Wednesday 18th June 6:30-7:30pm (AEST)

Click here to register for free

• Give thanks for a restful Long Weekend and Wellbeing Week.
• Give thanks for the excitement and anticipation leading up to our production of Aladdin JR. Pray also that our students and staff will use their talents and gifts to glorify God through the musical.
• Pray for our events and School Photo Day to run smoothly.
• Pray for the health and safety of our school community in the last weeks of the term.

ICT INTEGRATION WITH PEDAGOGY

Mr Nathan Crumbley and Mr Alex Hellyer have been appointed as our Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Integrators, with specific responsibilities across K-12. Their roles are to assist staff in integrating technology into their teaching in an effective way, thereby helping to improve the teaching and learning that takes place at WCCS. Not only are they working alongside teachers, but they have also developed a wonderful resource page designed to help teachers discover many new ICT tools that may be beneficial for the classroom. They will also be presenting workshops to our staff during our July Professional Development Week.

Additionally, we want to ensure that the use of technology aligns with our Values. Mr Hellyer is developing a document to help staff and students consider how we intentionally use AI in alignment with our School Values of Respect, Integrity, Compassion, Excellence and Service. It is hoped that this document will further assist staff and students to use this new, ever-developing technology wisely and responsibly at school. And hopefully beyond school. We hope to share this document with you in the future.

MOREE SERVICE TRIP

Mr Joseph Newman and I were able to visit Moree in Week 5, to scope out the possibility of a Year 10 Service Trip in November this year. We were hosted by the Team Leader at Moree Salvos, Jason Poutawa. With an incredible story that links his salvation back to Moree some 20 years ago, Jason works tirelessly in the community through his work with the Salvos and has connections with other local services and Moree Christian School, public schools and Moree High School. On this short trip, we were able to visit these schools and engage with the after-school program that the Salvos run for primary-aged children.

There will be an information evening for interested Year 10 students and their parents/carers later this term. An email with details about the evening will be sent home to Year 10 this week (Week 7).

If you would like to learn a little more about what the Salvos are doing in Moree, click here.

SAFETY WARNING - RUNNING IT STRAIGHT

Whilst I understand that ‘Running it Straight’ has been taking place for several years, recent injuries and even the death of a teenager have brought it to the attention of the mainstream and more of our adolescents in recent times. There have been some WCCS students participating in this game at lunchtime. It is obviously a dangerous sport where the aim is to collide with your opponent with pure brute force. Many experts in the community are seriously concerned about injuries, particularly head trauma, which professional sporting codes have worked hard to minimise in recent years.

Our Secondary School boys have been spoken to regarding the dangers of this emerging ‘trend.’ They have been reminded that it is a contact activity and, as such, is not permitted at school. Students who continue to participate in this game will be removed from the playground for an extended period.

We encourage you to have a conversation with your child about the serious risks associated with this activity, including the potential for significant injury. Your support in reinforcing this message at home is greatly appreciated.

God bless,

DA VINCI DECATHLON
The detailed results for the da Vinci Decathlon have now been made public, and we would like to extend particular congratulations to our Year 6 da Vinci Decathlon team, who achieved a brilliant 4th in English and 14th in Art and Poetry. With 79 Year 6 teams, mostly from large Sydney schools, competing against each other, this is a magnificent achievement!

WRITING EXTENSION
Our Years 5 and 6 Writing Extension students had a brilliant time last Thursday at the Words on the Waves Ripples Primary School Writing Workshop Day at the University of Newcastle, Ourimbah Campus. Our students were inspired by famous authors such as Jessica Townsend (the Nevermoor series), Jacqueline Harvey (Alice Miranda, Kensey and Max, Clementine Rose) and Christopher Cheng (The Imagineer, Bear and Rat, Powerful Like a Dragon and more) and came away keen to experiment and develop their own writing skills.

Congratulations to Caragh S, who received 2nd place in the Ripples Writing Competition, for her beautiful writing, ‘The Sky Fox’. With over 100 entries in her age group, this is a wonderful achievement!

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

• 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

Recently, 65 students across Junior and Secondary School competed at the annual CSSA Cross Country event at Horsely Park, Sydney.

It was a great day out, with students competing against other Christian schools across NSW.

The course was in great condition and proved to be a solid challenge, but our students approached their event with determination and a positive attitude. Across all age groups, they represented the school well, with some excellent results and strong individual performances.

A special mention to the following students who placed inside the top 10 and who will be representing CSSA at the upcoming CIS Cross Country event later this week (Thursday 12th June): Kiana B, Ryder K, Cody C, Orlando G, Otis H, Amelia H and Micah B. Another special congratulations to the following Secondary School students, who managed to also qualify for CIS by placing 1st in the Secondary teams event: Orlando G, Otis H, Owen E and Tobias W.

Beyond the results, it was great to see students supporting one another and enjoying the experience. Their manner, sportsmanship, and efforts throughout the day were commendable. We are also thankful for the parents and staff who attended this event to show their support for our students. Thank you.

Mr Nathan Irvine | Secondary School Sport Coordinator

NORTHERN NSW SCHOOL FUTSAL REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

In Week 4, Mr Knibbs, Mr Herbert, Tanaysha Carr and Mr Higgins took six teams to Newcastle to compete in the NNSW School Futsal Regional Championships. For some students, it was their first time taking part, while others were more familiar with the tournament. Either way, all the kids played with heart – showing great resilience, sportsmanship and a competitive spirit.

By the end of the day, three WCCS teams progressed to the next round: the U10A Boys, U12A Boys and U12A Girls. Well done to everyone who took part, particularly the U10 A Boys who won the Grand Final in their age group.

Mr Rob Higgins | Junior School Sport

YEAR 8 PDHPE - GYMNASTICS

For the past four weeks Year 8 have had the opportunity to head to Kimnastics and participate in gymnastics for PDHPE. It has been such a thrill seeing them tackle new challenges, learn new skills and have so much fun while doing so. Gymnastics has been a great way for Year 8 to work on strength, flexibility, technique and coordination, all while exploring a type of physical activity many had never engaged in. It has been so much fun taking Year 8 out to gymnastics, and they have loved every session!

YEAR 9 PDHPE - FUN IN THE SUN

Recently, our Year 9 students made the most of a break in the weather to enjoy a great tennis session during PDHPE! Despite the recent rain, we were lucky to evade the wet weather and get out on the courts for some skill-building and match play.

Students worked on their technique, coordination, and game strategies, with plenty of rallies, laughter, and healthy competition. It was fantastic to see everyone getting involved and having a go!

We’re excited to keep exploring tennis throughout the year - bring on more sunny sessions and smashing forehands!

YEAR 10 PDHPE - OBSTACLE COURSE RACING IN ACTION

Our Year 10 PDHPE students have been putting their skills and determination to the test through an Obstacle Course Racing (OCR) program!

OCR is not only a fun and dynamic way to stay active - it also encourages students to challenge themselves, set personal goals, and push past physical and mental barriers. From climbing and crawling to jumping and balancing, each student had the chance to grow in resilience, teamwork, and self-confidence.

It was so encouraging to hear students cheering each other on and offering a helping hand as they tackled tough obstacles together. A great example of how physical activity builds both strength and character!

YEAR 12 PDHPE - LEARNING FROM A CHAMPION

Our Year 12 PDHPE students had the incredible opportunity to hear from Alex Hardy from Sport Integrity Australia - a passionate advocate for clean sport and a high-level competitor in swimming, rowing, athletics, and triathlon!

Alex delivered an engaging and eye-opening presentation on anti-doping in sport, highlighting the importance of integrity and fair play at all levels of competition, in every sport around the world.

Students also stepped into the shoes of elite athletes through a virtual reality experience, walking through the drug testing process. They explored the many implications of drug use in sport through several athlete case studies and left with a deeper understanding of the values that keep sport honest, safe and fair.

A big thank you to Alex and Sport Integrity Australia for inspiring our students to be champions of integrity - on and off the field!

Mr David Thomas | PDHPE Learning Leader

Recently, Year 11 CMT Students went to Sydney for their second weekend away of the year.

The theme of the weekend was the Mission of God. The students were taught what the Bible says about God’s mission and then were able to put their learning into practice by serving in various ways. Most of our students served at the Exodus Foundation in Ashfield for their lunchtime soup kitchen, where they were involved in various roles to prepare food, set up tables, and serve meals to those who came to the kitchen. Some students were also able to have conversations with people as they sat eating their lunch. It was a very eye-opening experience. A few students also went out later with a group of students from other schools and made up gifts to give to homeless people. After putting packages together and writing a note with a Bible verse to go with each one, they gave them to homeless people, even managing some conversations with them.

Some bonuses of the weekend included exploring a bit of Sydney before the weekend officially started, going on a ferry once the Vivid lights turned on and spending some time at Bondi on Saturday evening.

Each student came away from the weekend challenged to think about how they are spending their time and whether they are focusing on God’s mission.

Thanks to Rev and Mrs Drennan for taking the students.

Mrs Glenys Drennan | CMT Coordinator

Our Secondary students recently took part in the HCSZS Netball Gala Day in Charlestown. The weather brought some light rain, but it did little to dampen the energy or enthusiasm of our students throughout the day of competition.

All our students represented WCCS with great effort and sportsmanship. It was encouraging to see players supporting one another and enjoying the opportunity to compete against other schools in our Zone.

A standout performance came from our Under 15 Boys Team, who played consistently well throughout the day. They finished strong with a hard-fought win over MidCoast Christian College in the final, earning themselves a well-deserved shield to take home.

Thank you to the staff, coaches and our student volunteers who helped run the Gala Day. We are thankful for your contributions and support, and look forward to next year’s Netball Gala Day.

Mr Nathan Irvine | Secondary School Sport Coordinator

This term, Years 5-8 had the opportunity to hear from author Tristan Bancks, during an incursion. This was done through a live zoom, with Tristan sharing his novels, writing inspirations and answering questions. Tristan writes mainly crime novels for this age group. All his books are available from the school library.

His Top 5 Writing Tips

1. Read a lot
2. Write every day
3. Be kind to yourself
4. Find yourself in the story
5. Rewrite and rewrite and...

Mrs Christina Stubbs | Teacher Librarian