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From the Principal...

In seeking inspiration for this week’s newsletter, I trawled through some of my musing from years ago and was reminded of an apt thought that was applicable to the events of the past and coming week.

Our society has recognised the fantastic inherent advantages of engaging in sport, and we spend an extraordinary amount of time practicing and refining skills in this regard, is the same true of creativity in our society. Do we value creativity enough? A lot of comment is made on the hundreds of millions of Federal dollars poured into the Olympic programs. I wonder how this spend compares with investment in creative endeavours.

According to some, one of the simple ways to improve creativity is to actually create – often. When last did we sit down and pen a poem of our own, not for an assignment or assessment but for the purposes of creating something new and meaningful. Since leaving school who has written their own narrative or short story? How many of us have painted a picture or tried to compose a song as opposed to singing that of another artist. Many of the ‘creative types’ went on to work in careers where they create on a daily basis. But maybe that is where some of the issue lies. We believe that we are either creative or we are not, a mindset that prevents us from investing time and energy into developing our own creativity.

The value of creativity is very obvious and evident in the arts but it is absolutely essential in all spheres of life. Innovation is driven by creativity. Let us challenge ourselves to make the development of creativity a part of our everyday lives. Instead of always reading your child a story, invent one. Instead of writing the usual fare in the next birthday card, compose a poem. As a school we will continue to enjoy the beautiful creativity of our students and grapple with the challenge of creating environments that foster creativity with the parameters of tradition, accountability and structure that are important realities of our education environment.

The beauty of the ordinary obscured
by shuddering haste and clouds of noise
Truth’s simplicity masked by rhetoric;
obscuring lines between want and need.
Yet, the answer is there.
It is imperturbable and humble, yet unassailable,
A still small voice.
Listen.

Student News
As a College we take great delight in recognising the efforts of students both within the school and externally through their own pursuits. I know you will join me in congratulating the following students for their achievements and successes.

Iona Anderson in Year 9 represented Ellenbrook Christian College at the Inaugural WA Interschool Mountain Biking Championships. Iona came first in the Girls Middle School Category.

Our Secondary SCEAVision team which included Shelby Fisher, Benjamin Jones, Taylor Townsend, Brianna Campbell, Elizabeth David, Shanae Power and Olivia Gale performed 'Little Red Riding Hood' in French and took out first place in the Year 7-9 category.

Our Primary participants in SCEAVision also did exceptionally well, with Rudhra Vengur Prabhakar in Year 5 taking second place in her category, performing a Tamil Traditional dance.

This week we look forward to the Primary performance of Cinderella and Rockerfella and I wish all the performers well as they finalise and prepare their presentations for the event.

Staff News
This coming Tuesday we farewell Mrs Jasmyn Rullo who commences maternity leave in preparation and anticipation of the newest addition to her family. Mrs Palli who team teaches with Mrs Rullo will be joined by Mrs Caroline Le Count in the Year 5 class. 

Have a creative weekend.

Justin Krause
Principal

 
 

Primary School News

From the Head of Primary...

We are officially over half way through this term and the year seems to be flying by. This week we celebrated the opening of National Book Week with our annual ‘Book Character Dress-Up Day’. A big thank you to our parents who went to such great lengths in obtaining and creating costumes, the students looked amazing. A big thank you also to our staff who went the extra mile in dressing up. A special mention to Mrs Gillian Falloon aka ‘Charlotte’ from the book Charlotte’s web by E. B. White.

 

Next week we have our Primary production ‘Cinderella and Rockerfella’ which commences at 6:30pm (doors open at 6:15pm). You can find more details and reserve your tickets on the College website.

The production follows our College Open Afternoon. Primary classrooms will be closed from 5:00pm to allow staff to assist in the setup of the production. The time between the close of Primary classes and the start of the production is a great opportunity to tour our Secondary classrooms and familiarise yourselves with the excellent resources and staff that we have in our secondary school. During the Open Afternoon, guided tours will be running from 4:30pm on the half hour through until 5:30pm, these will commence from the enrollments desk.

Parking
You may have noticed some additional free parking bays located on the Student Services entrance side of the Primary carpark. These bays were previously for staff and are now available for you to use. Anecdotally it now seems that we always have spare bays, even at our busiest times. With this in mind, please be mindful of not parking in the ‘Kiss 'n' Ride’ zones to ensure a free flow of traffic during our peak periods immediately before and after school.

Stuart Harris
Head of Primary School

 

Dad’s Build Day in the ELC
On Thursday 18 August Dads, Grandads, Uncles and Brothers were invited to join the Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten children in a building morning in the Early Learning Centre. They enjoyed making a Bunnings toolbox, as well as building and designing with Lego, Duplo and wooden blocks. Special creations were also made out of cardboard boxes and wood. Highlights included the hotdogs for morning tea, playing outside and the adults spending some quality time with their children. Thank you to all those who attended, the students had a wonderful time!

 
 
 

Library Buddies
An overlap of Library times has led to an opportune buddy relationship developing with the Pre-Kindergarten and Year 5 students on a Thursday morning. The Year 5 students have taken this opportunity to help the Pre-Kindergarten students in the Library. This has been of great benefit to the younger students as they have been able to enjoy stories with their buddies, have assistance with choosing their books and develop a special relationship with some of the older students at the College.

 

Helen Dunjey
Coordinator of Early Learning

Library update and book covering working bee
The Library is being enjoyed by students from all years: all the Primary classes have library time, including borrowing books to read at home; the Year 8 English classes are participating in a reading program to encourage reading for pleasure; and many students, up to Year 12, are starting to come in at lunch times to study and read.

There are many new books to be added to the collection, including a number that students have been impatiently waiting for as they have seen them being processed. Once the books have been entered into the library system, they need to be covered to ensure they will last as long as possible. This is where you can help!

Do you have an hour or more to spare between 11:00am and 2:00pm on Monday 5 September? Would you like to be involved in a working bee to cover books and get them on the shelves for the students to enjoy? If so, please contact me at leighh@scea.wa.edu.au for more information. I look forward to meeting you and getting the books onto the shelves for our students to enjoy.

Leigh Harris
Secondary Teacher

 
 

Secondary School News

From the Head of Secondary...

I recently had the privilege of attending the Governor of Western Australia’s Prayer Breakfast with our Head Boy and Head Girl. This event was well attended by various members of the Western Australian community. Many industries were represented as were a number of Schools. With such diversity in the room, it was encouraging to see how as strangers we were easily able to interact and find a common topic on which to converse.

This diversity of people’s backgrounds and careers, made me think about the careers and pathways our students may take in the future, and the positive impact these choices may have on other people. As a society we are very reliant on each other, we have people who do a lot of tasks for us, usually as part of the job or career they have chosen, but sometimes out of the goodness of ones heart. Is being reliant on each other enough? Where do we turn when significant events occur, such as the Global Financial Crisis, terror attacks or the Ebola virus?

“Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.” 
Isaiah 26:4

I would like to challenge the Secondary Students to consider what impact their future career pathway and choices may have on the world. If you look at this closely you may well realise that in the words of a common superannuation advertisement “we are all in this together” and together with God each individual can make a difference in our community and beyond.

On Friday 12 August we had our Inter-House Athletics Carnival. There was a lot of pride shown by all students representing their Houses and it was a great event, and judging from the feedback I have received, ran well and was enjoyed by all. I acknowledge that there is a lot of hard work and effort that goes into coordinating and running an athletics carnival and extend my thanks to all the staff who ran events and activities on the day. The additional support on the sidelines from parents was also very much appreciated.

Jordan Smith
Head of Secondary School

 

Secondary School News

Students Shine at Band Festival
On Thursday 13 August, the Ellenbrook College Senior Wind Ensemble performed at the annual ABODA Concert Bands' Festival held at Churchlands Senior High School.

The ensemble directed by Mr James Martin consisted of students, Benjamin Jones (Trumpet), Olivia Gale (Clarinet), Shelby Fisher (Clarinet) and Daniel Gale (Saxophone). The students performed excerpts from 'Chariots of Fire' and 'Apollo 13'. 

Congratulations and thank you to our students on their fabulous first public performance. We look forward to many more.

Our thanks to Mr Martin for his efforts with the group and to our parents who made the long journey through inclement weather conditions and traffic to ensure our students arrived on time.

Melissa Argus
Acting Director of Music 

 

Year 11/12 Drama Excursion – The Caucasian Chalk Circle
On Wednesday 10 August, the Year 11 and 12 Drama students experienced the very best that Perth theatre has to offer! We traveled to the city and participated in a two hour master class at the Heath Ledger Theatre. Our leader Libby was a professional actor who has worked in the improvisation comedy industry for over 10 years. She showed the students how to improve their improvisation skills for the ATAR practical exams. We were situated in a big, bright rehearsal studio that overlooked the city skyline. Every student left the workshop beaming and it was an absolute blast!

The play we saw following lunch was put on by the Black Swan Theatre Company and was called “The Caucasian Chalk Circle.”  The whole performance was amazing. It is a story derived from a classical Chinese legend called The Circle of Chalk. It tells the story of a young girl, Grusha, in a time of war, dealing with love, loss and the prospect of being a mother. The 12 actors use 60 masks and 80 costumes to play dozens of roles in Brecht’s 1944 play. It had been re-set from the former Soviet Union to China, where the tale of the chalk circle of justice originated more than 1000 years ago. Each Drama student will now take on the role of theatre critique and write a review of the performance.

Caity Stafford
Drama Teacher

 

Leaver2Leaders Philippines Mission Trip Update
We are approximately three months away from the annual Philippines Mission Trip. There is a large degree of excitement among the 14 students, three ex-student helpers and three staff.

We depart Perth on 19 November and we will really value your thoughts and prayers as we go through our preparations prior to this time. Recently, at the Secondary Athletics Carnival, we held a Sausage Sizzle with the aim of raising funds to support our activities in the Philippines. All funds raised go directly to support the community in Cabacungan, where we will stay for the majority of our trip, and will include food packs and building supplies. A thank you to William’s Meats, located at Forrestfield Forum and Marketplace, for donating the sausages towards the fundraising on this occasion and many others.

It is very exciting to be working with such a committed and passionate group of students, helpers and staff. I am sure that the impact of this trip will leave a lasting memory for each of them for many years to come.

Darren Jacques
Trip Mentor and Participant

 
 
 

Ever Considered Becoming a Teacher?

Teaching is a true calling – a career dedicated to serving others. Teaching is mostly joyous and at times challenging, but it is always meaningful.

SCEA has partnered with Tabor College of Higher Education to establish a teaching campus in Midland that will offer teaching degrees from a Christian perspective. Similar to other Universities, the degrees are fully accredited and HECS-HELP is available to cover tuition fees.

We will offer the following degree courses:

Find us on Facebook for more information, or contact us on admin@scea.institute or 9274 6411.

 
 

Student Services

Student Services Team
Mrs Lorraine Wheeler, Mrs Suzel Nolte and Mrs Joanna de Grauw (Student Services team) can be contacted on:

  • Email: ellenbrookss@scea.wa.edu.au 
  • Phone: 08 9297 9230

Absent or Late 
If your child is unwell or arriving late, please contact us through our:

  • voicemail service on (08) 9297 9292; or
  • the absentee email, eccabsentees@scea.wa.edu.au; or
  • our new text service number, 0416 905 250. 

    Late Arrivals/Early Departures
    Please remember that students who arrive late to school must be signed in by a parent (Primary) or sign themselves in (Secondary) at Student Services.

    An early departure slip must be obtained from Student Services prior to you collecting your child early from school. If your child is being picked up for an appointment 
    during school hours, to avoid delays, we ask that you notify us in advance by email, text or a phone call. If someone else is collecting your child, for any reason, their details must be text, or emailed through to Student Services, by a parent listed on the enrolment.

    Excursion Permission
    Permission for excursions must be completed by following the link that has been sent out to parents in an email, prior to the day of the excursion. Any student who does not have a completed form will not be able to attend the excursion. If you have any problems accessing a permission link that has been sent, please contact Student Services.

    Reminder
    If you need to visit the College during the day, to drop off lunch, or forgotten equipment for your child, please do so via Student Services. For the safety of all students, we do not allow visitors to wander through the College during the day.

    Bike Helmets
    There are an increasing number of students riding to the College who are not wearing a bike helmet. It is compulsory in Western Australia that all cyclists wear an approved helmet while riding. For more information on this, and other cycling road rules, please visit the Road Safety Commission website at: https://rsc.wa.gov.au/Topics/Cycling

    Hours 
    Pre-Kindergarten
    8:35am to 2:40pm
    Tuesdays and Thursdays

    Kindergarten
    8:35am to 2:50pm
    Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays

    Pre-Primary
    8:35am to 3:00pm


    Years 1 to 6
    8:40am to 3:05pm

    Years 7 to 12
    8:40am to 3:15pm

    Administration
    8:00am to 4:00pm
    8:00am to 3:30pm Wednesdays

     
     

    Upcoming Events

    On behalf of the College Executive, Ellenbrook Christian College warmly invites you to attend the College Open Afternoon,
    to be held on

    Wednesday 31 August 2016

    from 3:30pm to 6:15pm

    This event is an opportunity to immerse yourself in elements of your students journey. There will be various displays and activities for you and your child to enjoy.

    We invite you to bring along family and friends to this event who may be interested in enrolling their child at the College. Throughout the afternoon, tours will take place commencing from the enrolments table. This is a great opportunity for them to learn more about our College.

    We look forward to seeing you there!

     

    Cinderella and Rockerfella is a pantomime-style musical featuring audience participation, ‘goodies’ and ‘baddies’ and some very ‘corny’ jokes. It tells the story of Cinderella with a modern twist!

    Students from Year 3 to Year 6 will be presenting this musical production for one night only!

    Click the poster below to reserve your seats today!

     
     

    Lord Street Community Clean Up

     

    Events

    Significant events that occur throughout the year at the College can be found on the events page on our website.

    Our Events page has had an update! Check out the new Term Dates Page with 2017 dates now listed!

    Calendar

    The College calendar is updated regularly with new events.  You are encouraged to use this resource to keep yourself up-to-date with school functions, excursions, incursions, after school programs and anything else that your child may be involved in.
     

     

    Community

     

    New Uniform

    Friday 23 September will be your last opportunity to purchase the outgoing uniform at a reduced price. 

    New uniform appointments are now able to be booked through our website. Click the button below to secure your appointment now.