A Time to Celebrate
What a year it has been! After two years of challenges, we have made it to the end of a complete year of uninterrupted schooling. We have been able to celebrate our 40th anniversary, and the graduations for Year 12 and Year 6 students, in the same year, and with parents and families in attendance.
We have been able to send students on camps and excursions, and to offer a full program of learning. This has indeed been a cause to celebrate, reflect and to be grateful for all the opportunities granted to us in 2022. May you also be able to take a moment to reflect on a full year, and to recognise God's provision and grace throughout. May you enjoy a time of rest over the Christmas break. We look forward to seeing you again in 2023.
Mrs Toni Steinbergs, Deputy Principal
School Reports
Reports were published in the Sentral Parent Portal on Thursday 8 December. If you have any difficulty accessing the Sentral portal either online through the website or the Sentral Parents app, please contact the ICT helpdesk: bccsentral.comms@baysidecc.vic.edu.au
Allwell Testing Results
Students in Years 2, 4, 6 and 9 recently completed Allwell Academic Testing. For those whose testing is complete, results have been sent home with Primary students last Wednesday 7 December and posted to families of Year 9 students. Please keep an eye out for these results.
2023 Book Lists Reminder
Stationery and other supplies for Primary School students are purchased in bulk by the College and distributed to students. There is no additional cost to families. Secondary textbooks are to be purchased through the College’s supplier, Campion Education.
Families are required to supply Secondary students with a pencil case and its contents, however, stationery items such as exercise books, display books and folders are included in tuition fees and are therefore supplied by the College. Please following the below link to access the full list of requirements for 2023 and instructions on how to order.
Office Holiday Dates
Please be advised that the College office will be shut for four weeks (as opposed to the usual three weeks) over the summer break. We will close on Friday 16 December 2022 and reopen on Monday 16 January 2023.
Opportunity to Host Exchange Students
We are still in need of families to host our Japanese exchange students for 2023. This is an exciting opportunity for you to host a student and welcome them to the Bayside family as well as learn about another culture. Please do not let cost be a barrier, as host families are paid to assist with expenses. Families do not have to have a student in Year 10 next year. Anyone can host.
- Families can host a student for all or part of the term
- No need to cook special food
- The student can share a bedroom (with a female)
- Families are paid $40/night=$240/week to help with costs
We have three amazing young women for 2023.
- Sakura is 16 years old and learned how to play the piano and did ballet in primary school. She plays volleyball and also belongs to the futsal club. She hopes to become a doctor working abroad.
- Minae is 15 years old and loves sports. She enjoys tennis, swimming, skiing, and snowboarding and plays softball at school. Minae hopes to be involved with language education in the future.
- Mizuki is 16 years old. She enjoys reading, badminton and music. Mizuki loves animals and has a good sense of humour. She would like to help refugees and people from all over the world.
The students arrive Sunday 29th January and depart Wednesday 5th April. The
group coordinator will organise airport transfers.
For queries or further information please contact Zina Ferrarin (Group Co-ordinator)
via email zinaferrarin@hotmail.com or sms on 0402 216 728.
Positions Available
Secondary Science Teacher
Bayside Christian College is seeking to appoint a suitably skilled and experienced Secondary Science Teacher for the duration of the 2023 school year, with the potential of becoming ongoing. The position is negotiable in terms of time fraction for the preferred applicant, with an initial appointment ideally ranging from 0.4 to 0.6 FTE.
Senior Science Technician
The College is seeking to appoint a suitably skilled and experienced Senior Science Technician to commence at the start of the 2023 school year. The role is permanent part-time, 30.4 hours per week (0.8 FTE) during school terms.
Singing Teacher
Bayside Christian College is seeking a Singing Teacher for the 2023 school year, for both Primary and Secondary students. Instrumental Music Teachers, including Singing Teachers, at Bayside Christian College operate as subcontractors and are not employed by the College.
Parenting Ideas: Unspoiling Your Kids this Christmas
Even in homes where getting by is a bit of a struggle, Christmas is generally a time of indulgence for most families. We might be fighting inflation, increased rent and mortgage payments, and rising fuel and food costs, but it’s Christmas! We want to make it memorable, and spending seems to be the default to make that happen. Yet, at the same time that we spoil ourselves and our loved ones, we often bemoan the ingratitude of our children. We feel that they’re spoiled. We wish they’d look beyond themselves and stop making Christmas all about “me, me, me.” And apart from that, it’s expensive! With this in mind, here are 10 tips for “unspoiling” your children this Christmas.
First, focus on others!
1. Focus on Service
This year, one family I know is baking cookies and visiting the local police station, ambulance station, and fire station to drop off some Christmas cheer. They take the time to thank the people who work to keep us safe. Others I know visit the local RSPCA with supplies or donations, drop food, books, and toys at a women’s shelter, or donate food (or money for a well) to one of the many overseas charities that help those who are impoverished and in need.
2. Focus on Your Neighbourhood
Who are the people in your neighbourhood? Perhaps an elderly widow could do with a hand in her yard. ‘Tis the season for fast-growing grass and gardens. Perhaps someone has just gone through a tough separation and could do with a Christmas basket to ease the pain (financial and emotional) that Christmas might bring. One of our favourite things to do is to host a neighbourhood Christmas party. We invite all of our neighbours for a barbecue and to sing carols. Every year, we are asked for the date in advance, so people can be available!
3. Try a Secret Santa Drop
Our children’s favourite Christmas activity is playing “knock and run.” We select a handful of people we want to give something to each year. It might be a teacher, a friend, a coach, or a church leader. We wrap their parcels (often home-made treats), write thank you cards, and drive to their home. After parking out of sight, we sneak to their door, place their gift on the doorstep, and bang on the door before sprinting for a hiding place. Then we watch with delight as someone gets an unexpected, anonymous Christmas surprise.
4. Give Something Exciting
The reality is that our children DO want to get something exciting at Christmas. So, pick something great for them (within your budget) and help them enjoy it. A decision to not get anything can leave them feeling resentful, particularly when they see everyone else “getting.”
5. Reduce the Number of Gifts They Receive
Some children receive gifts from everyone. Grandparents, aunts, uncles, parents, and even siblings are all expected to buy for everyone. This not only costs a fortune, but it can overwhelm children and leave them expecting more and more. Invite your extended family to contribute to one meaningful gift, rather than lots of bits and pieces.
6. When Opening Gifts, Take Time to Savour Them
Savouring is the magnifying, or amplifying, of a positive experience. When the children open a gift, give them time to savour it. Encourage them to play with it. Let them breathe in the excitement of the moment, rather than ripping into the next package and flinging their gifts aside.
7. Experiences Are Better Than Things
One of the most remarkable findings from positive psychology research is that spending money on experiences brings more happiness than spending money on “stuff.” Perhaps a family trip will be more memorable than more toys? In a similar vein, gifts that encourage relationships are better than gifts that promote isolation. A new game console might be fun, but it may lead to withdrawal (and fights). It might be better to purchase some games that bring the family together.
8. Rather Than Gifts, Give Letters
One year for Christmas, I contacted my siblings and asked them to give me 10 memories of special times with Dad. With six children, we had a total of 60 memories, each written on separate pieces of coloured paper and rolled up into mini-scrolls and placed into a jar. Dad opened the jar and looked at us, perplexed. He reached in and pulled out the first note. He read it and chuckled. Then it dawned on him that there were 60 notes from his children. He dipped his hand in again and read. Then he began to weep. The rest of that Christmas morning, he read, cried, laughed, and reminisced. It was a meaningful, wonderful gift that cost nothing but meant the world.
9. Encourage the Children to Write “Thank You” Notes
Christmas break is a great time to take stock of gifts and say thank you. Invite your children to write thank you notes to those who gave to them, saying specifically why they’re grateful. Sincere thanks takes time—but it is a wonderful way to help the children show appreciation.
Finally, give the most valuable gift you can: time.
10. Give the Gift of Time
There may be no gift more appreciated by our children than your time. It costs so little yet is so hard to give generously. But when we give of our time generously, all the material desires our children have will fade away. This Christmas, “unspoil” your child by reducing the emphasis on materialism, crowding out the crass commercialism of “getting” with sincere, compassionate giving. It can make your Christmas truly memorable.
How are you planning to make this Christmas one to remember?
School TV: A Guide To Safe Partying
Teenage gatherings provide young people with important opportunities to interact and build on their social skills and experiences. Celebrations, partying and socialising are a fundamental rite of passage and one of the most important aspects of a young person’s life. However, it is possible for the best young person to get carried away with their peers and the euphoria of the moment. For parents and caregivers, keeping your young person safe can at times feel daunting and is often a compromise and a challenge.
Most teenagers try to do the right thing most of the time, but your leadership as a role model is crucial. Your child may appear to be physically large and mature, but this is not necessarily matched by their emotional maturity and responsibility in behaviour. Every party has the potential to get out-of-hand as sometimes it’s hard for young partygoers to make good decisions.
Communication and regular discussions are vital, particularly because young people are often faced with peer pressure to do things they prefer not to engage in. Hosting a celebration at home or at a venue can be a fun and memorable event but it is important to agree on the ground rules well before your event is announced to ensure there are no misunderstandings later on. If hosting an event, you owe your guests a ‘duty-of-care’ and should ensure all reasonable steps are taken to keep partygoers safe.
This Special Report provides caregivers with list of things to consider when planning a celebration. We hope you take a moment to reflect on the information offered, and as always, we welcome your feedback. If this raises any concerns for you, a loved one or the wellbeing of your child, please seek medical or professional help.