News

Student Achievement: Jack Schneider

Jack is one of three Australian students who have been chosen to attend the Honeywell Leadership Challenge Academy Program (STEM) partnering with NASA. 

In October this year, Jack will head to Alabama and spend a week at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center (Home of Space Camp) with students from all over the world aged 16-18. We look forward to hearing about this once in a lifetime experience when he returns.

The space camp aims to "heighten their interest in the study of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) as well as to prepare them for the university experience."

The core competencies of the program fall into the following five categories:

• Purposeful Leadership

• Integrated Planning

• Team Trust and Cohesion

• Critical Thinking

• Effective Communication

PD Week

It was a busy week at LCS as staff prepared for the second semester.

In amongst the devotions, meetings, professional development, preparation and planning, child protection and first aid training, staff were blessed with a 'Christmas in July' potluck lunch provided by our Social Club.

Year 11 Camp

In the final freezing week of term 2, 45 excited year 11 students and 6 brave and intrepid LCS staff including Mr Armstrong, Mr Bosker, Miss Davies, Mrs Ferguson, Mrs Jansen and Mr Lawes, got up before the sun and boarded a flight to our country’s capital for four days of intensive cultural and social experiences.  Upon touch down in Canberra students were soon whisked away in twin coaches driven expertly by Mr Bosker and Mr Armstrong to their quaint accommodation just over the ACT border in Eaglehawk Park.  After unpacking, debriefing and donning their finest school attire students were immediately immersed in the capital’s cultural epicenter via an informative and engaging tour of Parliament House.  From there it was back to the culinary delights of our generous host Eddie for a satisfying dinner and then onward and upward to refine our golf swing in a somewhat rustic double story driving range facility.  Sweet dreams of well struck drives and elegant swings were had by all until the morning of our second day.

Day 2 began with morning tea and coffee at the Old Parliament House Café and then straight into an interactive dive into the history of parliamentary debates pertaining to our beloved home state with students re-enacting a session about the Franklin River Dam.  From Old Parliament students were transported to Belconnen for Ten Pin Bowling led by Mr Armstrong in his demonstration of the completion of a Turkey (3 consecutive strikes) to top the overall leader board.  Following too much food and many games the LCS caravan rolled on to the most serious of our experiences at the Australian War Memorial.  After being expertly guided through many moving stories and memorials to our brave servicemen and women we were privileged as a school to be invited to stand by the pool of reflection and lay a wreath during the last post ceremony. Reuben Torlach and Kynan Bonnice did their school and forbears proud and were suitably honoured to be such an important part of this commemorative gesture. 

Mr Kent recieved this email from a member of the public:

Att: The Principal

Just wanted to let you know that I was in attendance at the War Memorial this afternoon for the Last Post Ceremony as was a group of your students and staff….. they were a credit to your school, treating the venue and the ceremony with the reverence it deserves. The students that placed a wreath were also Solomon and respectful of the occasion..

I am in Education and know travelling with students can be challenging especially as the day ends …. I just thought it would be nice to recognise their wonderful behaviour and the staff doing an amazing job accompanying them.

Day 3 started out with some serious bargain hunting at the DFO, an incredibly overcrowded Questacon experience then a drive by the embassy buildings and walk by Lake Burley Griffin. That evening we let loose on the tarmac with some hot laps of the Power Kart raceway, artificial ice skating and glow in the dark mini golf.  After a final Macca’s run on the way back to our last night of accommodation, we arrived bone weary at our caravan park dormitory.

Day 4 was spent packing and cleaning up – one last bus ride then much walking and lounging and resting and reading and eating in Canberra and Melbourne airports.  After many hours of travel and waiting to travel we arrived back on home turf on Saturday evening.  So good to be home.  What an adventure. 

The Australian Government recognises the importance of all young Australians being able to visit the national capital as part of their Civics and Citizenship education. To assist the school in meeting the cost of the excursion the Australian Government is contributing funding of $300 per student under the Parliament and Civics Education Rebate program towards those costs. The rebate is paid directly to the school upon completion of the excursion. 

We would like to thank the Australian Government for their support of this programme.

Year 12 Camp

After an extra early start to the day and a flight to Melbourne, the year 12s’ were soon negotiating the turnstiles at the Melbourne Zoo. Later a well-deserved coffee and bite to eat before a tour of the MCG.  There, a visit the museum and an opportunity to meet the 2016 sailing Olympian, Carrie Smith. Afterwards a visit to the Melbourne Skydeck provided us with vistas of the city from on high. The next day, Thursday, included visits to Monash University and Holmesglen, before pilling into the MCG to watch Richmond play the Sydney Swans. For those less interested in the footy, watching the crowd and Mr Stewart, barracking for their teams was an entertainment in itself! Friday began with an ‘Amazing Race’ activity organised by Urban Quest before we broke off into smaller groups to visit educational institutions that included RMIT, University of Melbourne and the William Angliss Institute. An opportunity to do some ice-skating on Friday evening, was the last organised activity for the trip. Saturday morning was a time for students to browse and shop before meeting up to make our way back to the airport and home for the holidays! 

Sponsorship for S&E Challenge Team 

Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors the team is heading to Sydney!

Platinum sponsor, Brenton Hemelaar, owner of Tones Solar and Electrical was with us yesterday as we shared this wonderful news with the team. Brenton is an alumni student and parent, and his contribution and ongoing relationship with the LCS school and community is a wonderful example to our students.

The students will now spend time preparing and practicing for the final over lunch times this term, being mentored by previous participants and staff, as they are eagerly anticipating the upcoming competition in New South Wales.

A big thank you to our 2023 sponsors:

Platinum: Tones Solar and Electrical

Gold: Dales of Derby and Tasmania Coachlines

Silver: Shaw Contracting, S. Group, University of Tasmania, MODE Electrical, m&m pest management, The Lift Shed, and Premium Plumbing

Bronze: Foot & Playsted and Wholesome House

Life Science Program

Biology/Life Science is the study of the fascinating diversity of life as God has created it and as it interacts and functions.

At LCS, we offer a number of exciting Science programs for our students. Life Science is one example of our Year 10 Science options, and last term our students enjoyed looking at water samples from the wetlands for microscopic pond life. The class then tried to identify what organisms they found. The students also prepared slides of onion cells to view under the microscope, staining them with iodine solution. They loved this lesson!

The Finer Details 

Earlier last term we shared with you the wonderful work our Year 6 students had done in designing and crafting their 3D floor plans for the design challenge.

Pictured below are their completed models from the end of this term. The intricacy and attention to detail is truly impressive, and the students have done a fantastic job completing this unit.

Grade 10 Science Excursion

Yesterday, year 10 students travelled to Beauty Point to visit Seahorse World and the Creation Discovery Centre Tasmania. As you can see by the photos, it was a great hands-on experience, and students had a wonderful day learning about and appreciating God's creation. 

New Secondary School Teacher Aides

Azahlia Dingemanse

My favourite thing so far is seeing how much the teachers care for their students; it is a wonderful environment. God guided me to this job through encouragement from others since the end of last year. Recently I decided I want to pursue Chaplaincy which then guided me to apply for this job as the next step. I felt a sense of clarity when getting this opportunity and I look forward to helping students finish this year strong. 

Benjamin Jessup

I’m really enjoying being back at the school and I feel like so much has changed since I graduated. I’m also loving being in the classroom and getting some practical experience as a uni student. 

NSATIS Season Kicks Off 

Our NSATIS senior sport teams kicked off their seasons on Monday against St. Brendan’s Shaw College.

This year we have 3 teams competing in the NSATIS Term 3 Senior competition:

Snr. Girls 1sts Netball

Snr. Boys 1sts Soccer

Snr. Girls 1sts Soccer

A huge thankyou to Miss Susan Davies, Mr. Thomas Macqueen and Mr. Josh Armstrong who coach and oversee these teams!

Student Achievement: Elliana Beeston

Year 11 student, Ellie, was offered a unique opportunity by Football Victoria during the school holidays. She travelled to Melbourne to sideline referee The Matilda's in a pre-World Cup practice match at their training camp.

Ellie is still pinching herself that she got to referee, chat with, fist bump & shake hands with her all-time soccer heroes in such a professional yet intimate and relaxed environment. Ellie is a passionate referee and continues to work hard as she cultivates these skills and continues to build her experience. 

Student Achievement: Esther & Eunice Kidmas

During the winter break, Esther and Eunice played in the Tasmanian Netball League's grand final for the Cavaliers. The game was close, but the U19 team were runner's up to the Northern Hawks. Esther and Eunice will also be representing Tasmania at the Australian Netball Championships later this year in the 'Tasmania Wild' state team. Netball Tasmania's website writes that "Tasmania Wild is our states flagship netball team, the current pinnacle of representative action. It is a brand designed to embody Tassie spirit, while reflecting our rugged landscape and unique island edge. The Wild brings together our high potential and strong performing athletes, in alignment with Netball Tasmania’s High Performance strategy. Court craft, physical performance and mental performance are factors taken into account when making selections."

Employment Opportunities

Employment | Launceston Christian School (lcs.tas.edu.au)

From the Office

A reminder that we are an Allergy Aware school - no nuts or nut products are to be brought on to campus. 

Car Parking

Please familiarise yourself with our Parking Policy that can be found on our website or by clicking this link - PolicyConnect

We do have parking available on site however there are a few things to be noted :

• Visitors carpark is available for short term parking, if you are going to be at school for longer than 2hours, we suggest you park in the main carpark or on West Tamar Road.
• Please be aware that the first six carpark on left hand side of carpark are reserved staff parking and parents are asked to keep these clear during 8am-4pm.

Illnesses

If you child has any flu-like symptoms such as a cough, sore throat, runny nose, or fever they should be kept at home.    If your child experiences Gastro or Gastro type symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhoea, Students should remain home until they've had no vomiting or diarrhoea for at least 24 hours.

From the Wellbeing Unit

From time to time we become aware of excellent resources we can recommend to you.

Currently the government eSafety Commission is promoting their Parent Information around Respectful Relationships. You can access both student and parent resources/videos at esafetynews@esafety.gov.au and follow the links to topics such as; 

• Setting up parental controls
• Digital technologies and mental health
• Cyberbullying and online drama
• Online sexual harassment and image-based abuse

Uniform Matters

The uniform shop is open:

Monday to Friday

8:30 am - 9:30 am

Wednesday

1:30 pm - 3:30 pm

If you have any inquiries regarding uniforms, please get in touch with our Uniform Coordinator, Anne Rixon, at 0400573902 

A REMINDER: LCS Uniform Policy - Shoes

Designated sports shoes only

Itinerant Music Teachers 2023

LCS has a number of instrument teachers who take students for individual lessons at school during school hours. This is an excellent way to learn an instrument and can help students make much faster progress on their instrument. It is recommended that student’s seriously contemplating studying music from grades 9 onwards definitely consider having some private instrument tuition to further their overall music advancement. Any student in grades 5 – 8 who are serious about starting an instrument should also have lessons in order to learn crucial proper technique early in their playing life.

Students continuing lessons from last year will be individually contacted by their teachers to organise lessons for the year.

If you would like your child to start having lessons this year, please email Mr Stewart (stewartp@lcs.tas.edu.au) and include the following details;

1. Students name:
2. Class:
3. Instrument to have lessons on:
4. Contact phone number:
5. Your contact details (phone and email)

This will be passed on to a relevant teacher who will contact you for further details.

We currently have teachers available for the following instruments:

• Piano/keyboard
• Clarinet/saxophone and Flute
• Guitar
• Bass
• Brass (trumpet etc)
• Voice 
• Drums 

LCS Volunteer Application Form

At LCS, we believe in the importance of fostering a positive, supportive community. We believe that parents and community members are essential partners in achieving this goal, and we would like to invite you to consider volunteering at LCS. We welcome your involvement if you have a specific skill or talent to share or simply want to lend a helping hand. 

If you are interested in volunteering, please fill out the form below and return it to the Office/email it to kibbelm@lcs.tas.edu.au together with the required documentation.

Thank you for your continued support, and we look forward to seeing you.

Notice From Food Technology Department

The Food Technology Department would like to encourage anyone with excess produce in their gardens or orchards to consider donating them to our Food Preservation Unit. 

Donating your excess produce not only helps reduce waste, but also provides a valuable learning opportunity for our students. 

Infectious Illnesses update

Student Bus Travel Expectations

Note for the office

ABSENCES/ATTENDANCE

Communication regarding a student’s absence needs to come via the school office. This information will then be passed on to the student’s teachers. Parents are asked where possible to telephone the school or email the office in advance when a student will be absent.  If you subscribe to the mobile app, The Hub you can also lodge an electronic absentee form which will reach the office immediately.  The school telephone number is (03) 6327 2854 and email is office@lcs.tas.edu.au

Students who are late must sign in at the school office.  Students will be issued a ‘late pass’ that must be presented to their teacher.  Students who sign in ‘late’ must have a note of explanation from home.   Three unexplained late arrivals will result in a detention.

Yr11/12 students that have a study period in the morning and do not attend Class Teacher must sign in at the office as soon as they arrive at school, if students have not signed in whole day absences will be on their record. Yr 11/12 students may leave the school grounds during study periods, however they are required to sign out and back in at the office.  This is important, particularly in the case of an emergency, so students can be accounted for by the staff and emergency services.

Written permission is required to leave the school grounds during school hours (except Year 11 & 12).  Students are to meet parents at the office. All students must use the sign out folder at the student counter in the main office.  When students return to school, they should report to the student counter in the main office and sign in.  

If families intend to be absent from school due to extended holidays (3 days or more), parents need to fill out in advance an Application for Extended Leave for Travel form, found under the Parents and Students/Downloads & Policies tab on our website:  www.lcs.tas.edu.au(Please see Extended Leave Policy on next pages)

MEDICATION

Should your child need to take prescribed medication at school please inform the school office.  All medication, both prescription and over the counter medication, needs to be in original packaging and labelled with clear dosage instructions (prescription medication needs dosage instructions from a registered medical practitioner) and must be administered at the school office and students are not permitted to carry medication at school. Medical forms are sent home at the beginning of each school year and parents are able to indicate whether they give permission for paracetamol to be administered if required.

UNIFORM

Students who are not in correct uniform, wrong jacket or coloured socks etc must get a uniform pass from the office.  A note of explanation should be provided by parents.  Three uniform non compliances, without parent explanation, will result in a detention.

Parking Policy