Principal

NEW MIDDLE SCHOOL BUILDING OPENS

It has been a really busy time for John Trembath, Darren Waterworth, Ian Field, Dipan Shah and all the builders/contractors to prepare our new Middle School Building for occupation. It was fantastic that our new Science rooms and classrooms for Years 7 and 8 were able to be used on the first day of Term 3 – all on schedule! A huge congratulations to all and the many, many people who have been involved and worked so hard to make it all happen.

We especially praise God for the provision of the grants that have enabled us to build such a magnificent building (State Grant), and the small grant from the Federal Government that was awarded from the BGA last term, that will help us to complete the building and fit out the lower level over the Christmas holidays and in Term 1 next year.

STRATEGIC PLAN (2019 – 2021)

The Board approved this Plan earlier in the year, and I am pleased to present to the community the outline of this Plan in a special brochure (wonderfully designed by  Peter Friend who is our Marketing Manager). This special brochure will be circulated to all our staff, families and be used in our marketing packs.

The Executive Leadership Team (ELT) have all been working hard over the past year in identifying and analyzing areas needed for growth in the College. Together we have discussed the priorities that are needed for St Andrews Christian College to be a leading school of Christian Education, where Excellence in Christ is paramount. 

The ELT will consequently lead the various areas of this Strategic Plan to further enrich and grow the College in the 4 pillars of our Strategic Directions: Being a Christ-Centred College; delivering outstanding outcomes in learning and teaching; being an authentically connected community; and, continual infrastructure development.

SOLOMON ISLANDS SERVICE LEARNING TRIP

– July School Holidays

It was such a wonderful trip for everyone! I could see how everyone (staff and students) was growing in their faith, in their gifts and talents, leadership abilities and confidence in themselves – understanding who God made them to be!

Please check out some films the students have made on our  website. 

https://standrews.vic.edu.au/news/solomon-islands-shine-videos/

For growth and transformation, to lean on and trust Jesus more, I would put every staff member and student in Year 9/10 in a developing country for a couple of weeks to realise they have much to contribute and much to learn from the locals. Everyone becomes more grateful and thankful for what they do have and not what they don’t have back in Australia!

I too, always learn when I am in a developing country. It is a great leveller of what is important and a way to come back to the basics in life. Obviously this is in the living conditions, but especially apt in the importance of relationships and how most communities in developing countries exhibit this value far better than we do in Australia. We are so independent, competitive and too busy in life. In the Solomon Islands, people live better in community and share their modest belongings and resources far more generously than we do.

As Christians we have much to learn in how to live in a better way, as God designed us to live, in relationship with Him and with each other, sharing our talents and resources for the benefit of others and for God’s glory.

For the students, it was a technology free couple of weeks, where they were not allowed to take their phones or devices. Relationships became the priority – as students and staff really got to know each other!

Some reflections from the students on the Solomon Islands Service Learning Trip:

• Stepping out of my comfort zone really pushed me.
• I have learnt to be grateful for everything in every situation.
• I have learnt to trust God with my whole heart, no matter how things look on the outside.
• God has taught me self-confidence and how to spread His love and His light.
• I want to be an influence.
• The trip has made a difference in my life as I want to be positive about everything I have and in every situation.
• This is my first real experience of seeing God actively working in ways we didn’t expect. Now I know what that looks like and will continue to look for God’s action. I felt like I clearly saw God’s deliberate hand at work.
• I have learnt gratitude. I’ve always been thankful for what I have but this trip has made me thankful for EVERYTHING I have, even the little things like spatulas and non-stick frying pans.
• I have learnt community. All the people in the Solomons are dependent on each other. They sit down and actually talk. Ferjie told me that she knew everyone in her church and that lots of them were her family. That’s the sort of community we need back home. We need to take a step back from our busy lives and technologies and actually talk and get to know each other.
• Throughout this trip I have really discovered God is real through the passion of all the people in the Solomons.
• Hopefully the skills of conversation that I have learnt while in the Solomons will help me to talk to other people about my experience on this trip and about who God is to me.
• What I enjoyed most on this trip was getting to know the actual members on the trip. We all became like family.
• The two most important things I’ve learnt through this trip is how to be more grateful for the things we have as well as not to take things for granted; how to trust in God’s plan more and no matter what, look at the positive side of things.
• The way I look at life has 100% changed. I will be more grateful and more positive on life’s outlook.
• I’m going to thank God more for what I have in life.
• I have experienced God through the joyfulness of the kids and the way they thank God for everything, even if they have nothing.

We are commanded to serve, “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” 1 Peter 4:10.

So it is important that we aim to develop a service mindset that is incorporated into every aspect of the College.

It is about developing a missional mindset so that our students understand what it is to be a disciple of Jesus, wherever they go and whatever they do, be that at home, university, the workplace or overseas. It’s about developing a heart for servant-hood and knowing we are all called to serve in the way God made each of us. In our love for God and other people, we serve to be a light for Jesus. We are not saved by serving or because of our works, we are saved for serving!

God is far more interested in the attitude of our heart in why we serve, not what we do or how well we do it.

May St Andrews Christian College grow in understanding God’s grace and how in our love for Him and others, we just want to serve!