College Newsletter

From the Principal

On Monday 19th June 2023 we held our Semester 1 Thanksgiving Services for both our Primary and Secondary school students. I was delighted to see a number of parents and friends join us at these special events as well as Mr Mal Wegener, Chair of the Lakeside College Board and other Board members.

 

The purpose of our Thanksgiving Service is to provide us with an opportunity to stop, take a breath and reflect on all the things for which we are grateful. We truly are community blessed with teachers, administration staff, parents, guardians and last but not least students, who every day demonstrate what it is to act with grace and love, by showing support for each other and taking care of each other’s wellbeing. 

 

We are thankful for all of the different experiences and events that have taken place as part of the Primary and Secondary School programs here at Lakeside College during the semester. These include:

  • Our amazing Camp program with the Year 5 students going to Sovereign Hill, our Year 6 students visiting our nation’s capital, Canberra and our Year 4 camp at Anglesea
  • The Year 1 visit to the Melbourne Zoo and the Year 2 excursion to Scienceworks, both of these excursions forming part of the Project Based Learning component of the curriculum.
  • Workshops with our Prep and Year 3 to 6 students run by the Australian Lutheran World Service focusing on service to countries in need
  • All Primary School classes took part in the National Simultaneous Storytime
  • We had Dance workshops for all Primary classes
  • As part of Harmony Day our students attended African Drumming workshops
  • The official opening of our New Senior Primary Buildings 
  • Sporting events such as the Swimming Carnival, Lightning Premiership, Athletics, Cross Country
  • The Year 10 Science excursion to the Zoo  which explored the topic of Evolution and Natural Selection
  • The VCE Art Excursion - which looked at the Top Arts finalist for 2022 as well as exploring the use of different spaces for artworks
  • Our Winter Musical Recital which highlighted the incredible musicality of our students
  • The Market Place Day created by our enterprising Year 9 students completing the "Be Your Own Boss" elective. 
  • Our Year 11 students impressed all with their involvement in the Servant Leadership program through their dedication and commitment to helping others
  • Our Year 11 and 12 students also took part in the Retreat program where they had an opportunity to reflect upon their lives and strengthen the bonds they have with each other as a cohort.
  • The Year 7 camp was a great opportunity for our new Secondary School students to get active in the outdoors and take part in a number of physical challenges, as well as bonding as a year level
  • We also witnessed the competitive spirit shine during our recent Athletics Carnival

 

These events represent just a small snapshot of what takes place over a semester at Lakeside College and we give thanks for our Teachers and Student Support Officers who make these events possible.

 

This term the theme for our Primary and Secondary School Chapel has been Jesus and Justice. We have learned that acting justly requires us to not turn a blind eye to something if we know it is unfair or wrong and to speak out when we see people being oppressed, to be the voice of those who have no voice. 

 

The prophet Micah asks, and what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. As Christians, we are guided by the gospel of Jesus Christ which informs how we live our lives and most importantly interact with each other. The gospels are full of stories which demonstrate how Jesus challenged the authority behind unjust and inequitable practices.  It is from these examples that I urge you all to spend your time and resources making a difference in the world through small acts of kindness and contributing to projects which improve the lives of our oppressed, marginalized and ostracized brothers and sisters. 

 

As we give thanks for the blessings of the last Semester I leave you with this message from the Prophet Isaiah, “Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, and please the widow's cause,” (Isaiah 1:17)

 

May God bless and keep you all safe over the term break

 

 

Robert Tassoni

Principal