From Head of Campus

Jennifer Trodden

Looking back & looking ahead...

It is hard to believe that the second week of our final term is already over. So far, the students have enjoyed learning about guinea pigs and other interesting mini beasts in our outdoor classroom. They were also thrilled to participate in a Cricket Victoria sporting clinic after completing their tennis sessions. Grade 3 & 4 camp went well, I had the opportunity to visit them in Anglesea on Thursday and enjoyed seeing their happy faces and the excellent camp facilities. It was pleasing to watch the way our students made friends with the students from the Heatherton Campus.  They reported that their highlight was the food😊

The building project is progressing very well, and the April 2020 completion date has turned out to be a blessing in disguise. To get us through Term 1 in WCC style, we have decided to build an additional five brand new modular classrooms and toilet block complete with a ramp, balcony and staircase where the existing green shed is positioned (the shed will be relocated). These new facilities will go up quickly and provide us with additional classrooms for Music, Indonesian, Performing Arts and TheirCare when it is time for the Grade 1-5 students to shift across into the new building in April. The 5 new modular classrooms and toilets will be built in addition to our current building project and will be completed before the beginning of Term 1. There is also more good news as Stage 1B is set to start in 2020 after Stage 1A is complete. The Stage 1B project includes eight classrooms and two undercover Basketball courts. Four of the eight classrooms will be dedicated specialist spaces for Music, Art, Science & Food Technology. This will enable us to have the specialist facilities ready to commence Year 7 in 2022. We are also in preliminary discussions about building our school gym sooner than expected, “watch this space”! The original plan was to establish a three-court stadium at the back of the property, but we feel a fully enclosed single court and performance stage would benefit the Primary school in the short term. A Secondary stadium will still be established at the back of the property.

Whilst you can’t see it, the outdoor classroom is going incredibly well. It is positioned at the back of the property in the right-hand corner. We hope to do a lot more with outdoor learning due to the huge benefits that can be seen with mental health and well-being, problem solving and creativity. It is also ideal for growing children who need to move while they learn. The students are enjoying exploring and learning in the outdoors and have set up a dry creek bed, seating area and small tepees. We are grateful to Miss Cruz for making class videos of the outdoor experiences to share on our Facebook page, she is a very talented lady! I can also announce that we have added another club to our existing selection, this means that all students from Grade 1-5 will complete one term of Robotics, Gardening, STEM and Outdoor Explorer.

The Prep information evening was held during the first week of term. There was a lot of excitement in the air and some seriously energetic kids who are ready to start school. Our prep orientation sessions will commence on Saturday 26 October. The Saturday times will make things more convenient for working parents. Overall, the Executive team and the Board are very pleased with the progress of the College. It is a great privilege to be pioneering with you all as we build a new Christian school in Wyndham.

Thank you for your ongoing support and patience, your questions and feedback are always welcome.

Yours faithfully

Jennifer Trodden