Winter can be Wonderful

It was such a beautiful winter's day here in Busselton that it was inevitable that spirits would be high - the inevitable laughter and joy was evidenced across the campus.

Student were found studying in the sunshine, taking part in lunchtime clubs and activities, or just joyfully engaging with one another - and it was heartwarming to see the camaraderie and team spirit alive and well.

This is Cornerstone.

Microscopic Marvels

Mr Meyerink's Year 5 class was busy in the Secondary Science lab last week. They have been looking at plant cells through the microscope, considering interesting plants and their adaptations, looking at the structure of a flower and various local examples, viewing plant cell models, and gaining understanding of seed adaptations and thorns.

Mr Meyerink stated that the students were fascinated and engaged really well! A huge thanks to our amazing, Mrs Lucas, for all her effort and for setting up such an brilliant experience in the Science lab. We are blessed to be able to have our children immersed in such rich learning opportunities - well done, to all!

Bay Okay - Dunsborough

Recent work at the Dunsborough Campus is thanks to a Bay OK funding grant - and here's the article put together from the GeoCatch team:

"The front entrance to Cornerstone Christian College Dunsborough is looking

very smart now that the Bay OK garden has been installed. The new garden is

going to be a very attractive space and a lovely welcome to the school. The

school community is looking forward to watching it establish and learning how

gardening in sandy soil can be rewarding and successful.

"With the school grounds well established now, it was time for some landscaping at the front of the school. When approached by the school’s Parent Connect representative Whitney Trigwell, suggesting a garden project, GeoCatch was very happy to oblige with design and funding of a Bay OK garden showcasing fertiliser and water wise gardening that will help protect Geographe Bay from nutrient pollution."

Head of Primary, Judy Nolan, is excited by the completed project saying, “The

garden looks amazing! As it grows it's going to look so nice and will be a place kids

will love.”

“GeoCatch also incorporated our Woolworths Junior Landcare project into the new

garden, creating the opportunity to get students to plant the area around the big old

peppermint tree with swordsedge, which will improve its vitality and habitat value to

wildlife.”

The project began with consultation with the school leadership to determine the

nature of the site’s future use and expectations for the new space. The built garden

encompasses all requests for retaining sightlines, provision and control of access

across the site and quality landscaping. Designed in synchronicity, the new garden

will connect seamlessly to the future landscaping alongside and against the school

buildings. The design for the rest of the site features round spaces amidst planted

areas that will be used as outdoor ‘class rooms’.

The landscaping has been installed along the three overarching Bay OK gardening

principles: nurture the soil, conserve water and enhance biodiversity. This garden will

not be irrigated after the first summer so it features plant species selected for their

ability to grow with a low water requirement. The site is flat so plants have also

been used that contribute colour and varied height to add interest.

GeoCatch’s Bay OK Officer, Lisa Massey explains, “This area is undergoing a lot of

development with new houses and gardens springing up every day. This

demonstration Bay OK garden will be visited by the school community and new

residents to learn how to garden successfully and responsibly in the region.”

“The most important stage in this project was to firstly improve the soil with

applications of clay and compost that will hold moisture and nutrient in the soil so

that the plants will benefit, and our waterways will not be impacted by run-off.”

GeoCatch’s Bay OK Gardens project supports urban residents to improve water

quality in local waterways and Geographe Bay by adopting the Bay OK principles in

the garden.

For further information on Bay OK gardening, visit the GeoCatch website geocatch.asn.au

Treasure Hunt!

Great Behaviour + Reward Jar Filled = Treasure Hunt!

The Busselton Year 1 class has been so brilliant in recent days, that they have filled up their reward marble jar and a treat was delivered.

Mrs Kuendig decided that the board games in their classroom needed replacing, so she uncovered a stash of prizes to replace them. In typical style, however, the reward was delivered as a treasure hunt in the playground area.

The result? Massive smiles, and a heap of fun activities the children have to enjoy over the winter months.

In Hiding

The Year 7 Science class have been studying animals in recent times, and found an excellent example of camouflage on campus.

Ethan's neck became a slightly less secure hiding place, but highlighted the power animals have in protecting themselves when they can disguise within their environment. Great work Mr Jones and students!

General English

Here's the latest offering from Mr van der Tang's Year 11 General English class. A video that brings to a close their recent diary project.

We hope you enjoy!

Crazy Hair for a Great Cause

The whole school went colourful! Primary students at both campuses, and the Secondary school all delivered some pretty amazing looks last Friday - with the focus being on raising funds for fighting Cystic Fibrosis. It is a condition that affects students in our community and so the money raised is heading towards finding a cure.

Thanks to everyone who took part in such a fun event.

The Inaugural Robotic Cup, 2020

The robot wars have continued at Cornerstone this past week, with teams of robots taking over the science lab in a soccer challenge.

Two teams of three were created, forming the Shrek Team and the Furious George Team. They battled it out to take home the knowledge of being the winners of the first ever rover soccer challenge.

Well done, team Shrek on your successful game.

Semester One Exams are Done!

Last Friday was the final day for exams for Semester 1. We are so thrilled at the way our students have navigated this season. Well done, students.

Now we get to pray for our teachers as they mark heaps of assessments and write those reports!

Bush Bashing and Bad Weather

Mrs Kuendig is delighted that excursions are now an option with her students - and an adventure to the Cornerstone bush block was a perfect starter.

Let's here from her:

'"There's no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing.” - Alfred Wainwright

The Year Ones finally started with their weekly bush days despite the weather conditions. They had the best time, climbing trees, building, exploring and just having fun.'

We love the quote, the photos, and the joy on the children's faces.

Chemistry

Mr Meyer's Year 12 Chemistry class has been involved in a really interesting experiment in recent days - they made esters. Esters are the chemicals which give us scents. The students created smells linked with DeepHeat, pears, strawberry lollies and PVC glue. They also investigated which alcohols were most reactive.

We are so grateful to Mr Meyer and Mrs Lucas for the amazing way they engage and enthuse our students.

Community

Open Night at Murdoch University