From the Director of Studies 

Putting First Things First.

It is with mixed feelings to start by sharing that at the end of 2024, I have made the decision to conclude my position as Director of Studies across the college. I have been joyfully serving at Emmaus Christian College for 12 years and for the past six years in my leadership role that oversees the broad teaching and learning across our school community. It has been an absolute pleasure working alongside our teaching and admin staff to continuously strive toward providing our students with a rich and broad Christian education. 

At our South Plympton campus, we are witnessing the final details of the extension to our main building. Furthermore, we are now seeing the big excavators starting to dig up the courts area to start the exciting Stage 2 development of our building works. With all this work being done around us, I am proud of the resilience our staff and students are showing as we respond to the changes to our physical environment. I am also reminded of the many changes I have witnessed over the past decade teaching at Emmaus. The biggest of these has been watching the Brooklyn Park campus flourish to become a self-sustaining Junior School and ELC in such a short period of time! This has only been possible because of the grace of God, and the hard work from a fantastic group of dedicated teachers, ELC educators and school leaders.

Part of my role for many years has been to track the academic data across the college. It has been a delight to see our results consistently growing over the many years of analysing them. In fact, in 2024, we had our strongest year of NAPLAN results averaged across all four Year levels (3, 5, 7, 9) since the national test was first introduced. The teachers and students should be proud of this achievement, but we believe there are more important things to celebrate.

Despite many aspects of our college changing over recent years, one thing has firmly stayed the same. We consistently acknowledge that Jesus Christ is the Lord of our school. This was recently illustrated to me so strongly when I was fortunate to join the Year 12s in their camp earlier this year. On a cold night in July, the teachers decided to have a time of worship around a campfire. I must admit, I was cynical. I thought the students would be too cold to take the time seriously. What proceeded was probably the highlight of my time at Emmaus. 

After the worship time had finished, the students had their chance to go off and have free time before bed. But a large portion of the cohort stayed back and kept worshipping! Our young people were praying with each other; seeking prayer from their teachers and genuinely enjoying the presence of God. It was truly a Holy Spirit filled time.   

This group of Year 12 students were just starting their schooling journey when I started at Emmaus, and now as I am stepping away from my teaching and leadership position, these same students are moving into the next chapter of their lives. As we pray for these students who have just finished their final exams, may they continue to focus on what is important. 

C.S. Lewis once wrote, “put first things first and we get second things thrown in: put second things first and we lose both first and second things.”

There is nothing wrong with aspiring for good grades. They can show our aptitude and demonstrate the effort we have put into something. But grades are “second things”. These results are not what should define us. Grades, NAPLAN scores and the ATAR are just not that consequential when we zoom out and acknowledge the purpose of why we are here. Our Year 12s personally reminded me of this on the night around the campfire. At that moment, many of our Year 12s were focusing on what ought to be our first thing. They were worshipping their Creator God.

As I move into next year, I will be stepping into part-time work so I can invest some more time with my preschool children. But I am also very grateful that I will still be a part of the Emmaus community, but just in a very different capacity. I will be supporting the College to explore a range of strategic projects that we trust will further and deepen our work for the Kingdom of God. 

And finally, it was recently announced that Josh Brenkley, our long-serving Director of ICT (F-12) and Math Coordinator (7-12) has been successful in winning the newly titled position of Director of Curriculum & Innovation. I trust that Josh’s deep faith and expertise in educational leadership will have him perfectly placed to continue to emphasise a Christ-centred education that aims to have our students Belong, Flourish, Think and Respond.