In this issue

Department Spotlight – Dance Showcase 2021 – Don’t Stop

Earlier this term, over 250 passionate performers took to the stage in our biggest dance event yet. Dance Showcase 2021: Don’t Stop.

In response to the changed event restrictions, a third show was added and the students did not disappoint. All of our curriculum and co-curricular dance students ranging from Year 3-12, in addition to one of our Genesis Dance and Drama Academy eisteddfod teams performed a variety of highly entertaining dance pieces that thrilled our audiences.

Featuring 34 impressive dances, over 800 dazzling costumes and over 1000 excitable audience members, it was a production like no other. From contemporary to African fusion and musical theatre to tap, our students shone bright on stage in a truly God-glorifying event.

One particular highlight of the evening was a combined, choral, strings and dance item called ‘The Blessing’. This piece was dreamt up as a way of celebrating the 30^th anniversary of Genesis Christian College and aimed to give God all the glory for the immense favour He has poured out over this wonderful school. Dance Showcase 2021 was certainly an event to remember and we are so grateful for the ongoing support of our families, friends and community.

It is evident that Genesis loves to dance and we consider ourselves truly blessed to have these platforms to share our gifts, talents and passions with you all.

Kind regards,

Emily Briddock

Innovation & Learning Leader – Dramatic Arts

Department Spotlight – The Pictures

As always, our Visual and Media Art students have been busy with a range of exciting tasks. Most recently; however, we were quite busy with The Pictures – our annual showcase of talent from Visual Art and Film, Television and New Media students. On this night, we celebrated the hard work, skill and brainpower of our students with a large display, live music, refreshments and an awards ceremony.

The following students received awards:

• Best Cinematography: Emmerson C
• Best Editing GOSCAR: Amara W
• Best Sound Design: Tia J
• Rising Star GOSCAR: Charl P
• Best Year 11 Film GOSAR: Sarsha H
• Best Year 12 Film GOSCAR: Cally N
• People’s Choice Film GOSCAR: Tia J
• People’s Choice Photography Competition: Holly M
• Best in Show Photography Competition: Daniel P
• Industry Encouragement Award: Brooke C and Madi C
• Principal’s Art Choice: Dane K
• Head of School’s Art Foundation Purchase: Charlie W

Some of our other recent highlights include:

• Year 12 Film student, Tia J was shortlisted in the BUFTA Film competition.
• Year 12 Visual Art student, Jaeve P, received an Excellence Award as part of the 2021 Creative Generation Excellence in Visual Arts. As a result, Jaeve’s beautiful artwork will be on display at the Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) between 28 May to 21 August 2022.
• At the recent Moreton Bay Youth Art Awards, our students shone. We took home the following awards:
  • First Prize in the Year 7-12 Collaborative Artwork
  • Third Prize in the Year 11-12, 2D section: Joshua T
  • Highly Commended in the Years 11-12, 2D section: Charlie W and Jaeve P
  • Highly Commended in the Years 7-10, 2D section: Nicolas G
• Year 11 Visual Art students engaged with printmaking during an incursion with Dr Glen Skien, artist and Griffith QCA academic.
• Year 11 and 12 Film, Television and New Media students explored virtual reality at a recent excursion to Warner Bros. Movie World.

We are very excited by the talent of our students and are very thrilled to hear that so many of our Year 12 Visual Art and Film, Television and New Media students are moving into creative fields next year. We wish them the very best!

Blessings,

Natasha Gillies

Innovation and Learning Leader – Visual and Media Arts (Year 7-12)

Department Spotlight – Legal Studies

Year 10 Justice & Legal Studies – Queensland Parliament House

The first of two Year 10 Justice and Legal Studies classes have visited Queensland Parliament House this term. We have been fortunate to make this excursion considering the disruptions of COVID-19 and possible lockdowns. This excursion comes at the conclusion of the Term 3 unit of study on Law and Society. Students have learned the importance of laws in our society, how and why laws are made through Parliament and society’s need for order. During this visit to Parliament House, it was a great experience to take what has been learned in class and see it in the real world. Students enjoyed a tour of Parliament and sat in the Legislative Assembly Chamber. As part of this visit, students joined with another high school class to parliamentary role-play in debating on a mock bill for Parliament.

Legal Studies Youth Parliament

Six Year 11 Legal Studies students recently participated in the Legal Studies Youth Parliament. Each student was given a role to play in this role-play of Parliament. Students prepared speeches to deliver, debating and supporting a Mock Bill for Parliament or on an adjournment debate on an important issue in Queensland. Students had a great time and enjoyed sitting in the MP’s comfy chairs.

YMCA – Youth Parliament

Over the recent school holidays, Year 11 Legal Studies student Elise Bennett participated in the YMCA Youth Parliament. This six-month program saw students across Queensland engage small teams (portfolio) to write a Bill proposing a law reform they are passionate about. The conclusion of this program was a week in Queensland’s Parliament House where participants proposed and debated their bills in a Mock Parliament. Elise was the Youth Member for Kurwongbah and was a member of the Health, Emergency Services, Disability and Seniors Portfolio.

Kind regards,

Nina Johnson

Legal Studies Teacher

Care and Conduct – Year 9 Survival Camp

In Week 8, Year 9 students undertook a 5-day Survival Camp near Noosa on the Sunshine Coast. The intention of the camp was to put the students in new and challenging situations, encourage teamwork and co-operation, and to spend time in personal reflection. Right from the moment they stepped off the bus, the students knew this was different to previous camps when they were told they had a series of challenges and tasks, and their dinner was conditional on how well they completed them as a team.

Students had to build their own fires, prepare and cook their food themselves, and ensure all the necessary washing up and other duties were complete. Sleeping in tents was not new for most, but kangaroo’s and goannas walking around through the night was new for some.

Activities on the camp included learning how to transport and filter water, light a fire and hard boil an egg, all while working as a team. There was also a challenge to build working rafts and retrieve prizes while other students built catapults and fired wet sponges to protect the prizes. Survival skills were also taught, with methods of building shelters put into practice while on a bush walk.

The highlight for many students, and all teachers, was the 24-hour solo. Students were given their own spot along a bush trail and left with a large bag of food, a tarp and a swag if they chose. While on the solo, students had several small tasks to complete that included attempting a knotwork bracelet and a letter to their future selves that were collected and will be handed back when the students are in Year 12. Many people said how much they enjoyed the solitude and not having any digital devices with them, all the students said it was an experience that they would remember.

A big thankyou to all the staff that went above and beyond all week to ensure the students had an enjoyable and worthwhile experience.

Andrew Duncan

Year 9 Care and Conduct Leader

Year 5 Camp

The annual camp is a wonderful highlight for students, and this year, the Year 5 students were extra excited about their camp seeing that they were not able to have one in 2020. Camp Somerset in the beautiful, hilly bushland on Lake Somerset has been the location for the Year 5 camp for many years. The camp has always been a fun-filled, challenging experience for all and this year did not disappoint.

Once again, our students experienced activities that are designed to challenge, enthuse and build confidence, and foster connections with one another. Activities such as the Giant Swing and Koala Climb certainly require courage and students surprised themselves as they faced their fears and took themselves beyond what they thought they could achieve.

Many of the activities require the students to work together and develop trust – for example the crate climb, raft building, canoeing and the mysterious Burma trail where students were taken on a bush walk blindfolded!

The night time activities did not disappoint – the highlight perhaps being camp fire songs starring Mr Bedville himself and star gazing with Mrs Testa. As always, the food was amazing but the best of all were the amazing parent helpers who worked so hard to give the students a wonderful four days. Thank you to our parent helpers. And a big thank you to the Genesis staff without whom the camp would not be possible.

Bring on 2022 Year 5 camp!

Kind regards,

Simon Bedville

Assistant Head of School – Primary

Care and Conduct – Year 4 Camp

Year 4 Camp 2021 was an absolute blast! Students, teachers and parent volunteers all enjoyed an incredible three days away filled with adventure, sunshine and lots of good times.

The theme of our Year 4 camp was Facing and Conquering Giants. We choose to centre the camp around the scripture Romans 8:31 ‘if God is for us, who can stand against us’. Our current Year 4s, like David in the story David and Goliath, are not deterred by the size of the giants they face. This was evident on our recent camp as all the children faced and conquered difficult or uncomfortable situations. We were so proud of them all!

The first two days of camp saw us complete six activities run by Apex Mudjimba staff. These activities included: Bush Skills, Mid Ropes and Flying Fox, Radio Rogaine, Canoeing, Mud Pit Challenge and Catapults. Canoeing seemed to be the biggest hit with the most students! On Friday, we finished the camp with our very own novelty Mini Olympics and time of reflection.

All in all, the camp was a wonderful experience filled with many opportunities to grow, challenge ourselves and make new friends.

Kind regards,

Kate Johnson

Year 4 Primary Care and Conduct Leader

Primary Sports 

BOSL Competitions:

Genesis competed in the BOSL competition for both Netball and Football with both seasons wrapping up recently. Congratulations to both teams on great seasons of competitions, with both finishing in 3^rd place.

Queensland School Sport Golf:

Earlier in the year Phoenix G competed in the QSS Golf Championships as part of the Met North 10-12 years team. Phoenix’s team won the tournament and were crowned State Champions. Congratulations Phoenix!

North Queensland Athletics Championships:

Over the holidays Dylan M participated in the North Qld Athletics Championships where he placed 1^st in the 11 years boys 100m. Congratulations Dylan!

NISSA Gala Days:

We are wrapping up our NISSA Sporting Competition for the years where we have participated in Gala Days against our friends at The Lakes College, Grace Lutheran Primary School and Prince of Peace. Our students have participated with enthusiasm and have improved their skills over the course of the year.

Prep-2 Athletics Carnival:

On the 7^th October we hosted our postponed P-2 Athletics Carnival. What a beautiful morning of smiling faces and fun! Well done to all our of amazing Prep-Year 2 students for trying their best.

Year 3-6 Swimming Carnival:

Our Year 3-6 Swimming Carnival is coming up on Friday 12^th November. We are looking forward to a great day with opportunities for all students to take part on the day to gain points for their houses. We are excited for the 1^st run of our new Year 6 Challenge on the day. Information about the day can be found on the Genesis App.

Kind regards,

Louise McCarthy

Director of Primary Sport 

As the year draws to a close it is time to look back on the wonderful year we have had at Genesis, especially in our Primary school. Our students and staff continuously amaze me, not just with their exceptional results across sporting, artistic and academic endeavours, but also, and perhaps more importantly, with the dedication to training and studying, humility, and selflessness with which they do this. Our Genesis students consistently perform at the highest levels in all of these areas, within our culture of high expectations, and now is the time to rest and unwind as we head into the holiday season in just a few weeks.

2021 has been a year of refining our vision and defining the key focus areas in the Primary school, with a number of new leaders settling into roles at the College; new academic programs, and ways of working, and as we head into 2022 our intention is to consolidate the changes and refinements, and really focus on our priorities of Project-Based Learning, Digital Learning Platforms, new buildings for Year 2 and 3, and of course our rigorous focus on literacy and numeracy. However, within this, and covering all of this, of course, is our Christian culture; through which we observe and design everything, and ultimately understand learning and our world. With the help of God, and seeking his will in all things, 2022 will be another great year in the Genesis community.

2022 staff appointments

We have been very blessed with the very high quality of staff who work at Genesis, and we are excited to announce the following internal appointments for next year.

• Jacqui Grotius – Learning Innovation & Technology Leader – Primary
• Natasha Fox – Innovation & Learning Leader – Year 3
• Karen Sella – Innovation & Learning Leader – Year 2

Primary Colours Assembly

In the next few weeks we will conduct our Primary Sports and Colours Co-curricular Awards which combine Sport, Cultural and Service Awards. We have had a considerable number of students achieving these awards and this is a very healthy sign of a growing program and also an expanding commitment to activities that the College offers beyond the classroom.

Through the Colours system, we not only recognise the efforts of many students but also demonstrate to all, the many and varied ways of contributing to our College Life. By doing so, students gain so much more fulfilment, a sense of worth and a sense of service and well-being, and these attributes are so necessary for a balanced and healthy lifestyle.

The Colours Scheme provides students with a small incentive to be involved in activities beyond the classroom. Students accumulate colour points varying on the commitment required for training or involvement. All activities are College based and the Colours system operates across the whole College with a small roll over of points from Primary into Secondary.  Both systems are similar in nature with the end goal for Primary, a Gold award and in Secondary School, full colours, worn on the College Blazer.

Primary end of Year Celebration Services

For 2021 we will be conducting 3 services, our yearly 5/6 Celebration and Graduation service, our 3/4 Celebration service, and for this year, our newly designed Prep-2 Christmas Celebration service. Be sure to look out for the bookings to attend these events

Kind Regards

Jeremy Williamson

 Head of School – Primary

Secondary Highlights 

I love Term 4; and not just because the Christmas holidays can be heard jingling in the background!

I love the way in which we get to celebrate the amazing achievements of our students. I love the Presentation events and the farewells to Year 12. I love the way in which the College community can come together and honour the students’ application to all areas of school life.

Our Co-Curricular Presentation Ceremony was a great success with the awarding of close to 300 certificates and trophies. These achievements are made for the roar of crowds, the applause of audience and the admiration of peers. In Week 2 the Secondary school was the crowd, we were the audience that these great endeavours deserved. Thank you to the parents who were able to attend this school time event.

We have also been blessed through the Dance Showcase and The Pictures. What an amazing variety of talent! It is a blessing from God that we enjoy the greatest of co-curricular opportunities here at our school.

At the Senior and Middle School Presentation Ceremonies we get to acknowledge the best qualities of Genesis. The ones we strategically plan for and strive in earnest to achieve. We celebrate achievement in sport, service to the school and broader community; excellence in the arts; character that reflects Christian values; academic distinction; and student leadership. We will get to see first-hand the outstanding quality of our bands, dancers and choirs.

We celebrate the Genesis Student; the work product, as it were, of parents and teachers seeking the common good in the life of your children/our students. We give thanks to our God for His provision, gifting and enabling.

Blessings,

Stuart Taylor

Head of School – Secondary 

Strategic Pillars

The College’s forthcoming Strategic Plan, to be launched to parents in 2022, identifies several key priorities which will drive the College’s strategic planning for the next three years. As one would expect, future-focussed learning is one of these key pillars. With strong links to the Alice Springs Declaration (Education Policy) which outlines the need for schools to be providing opportunities for students to be acquiring skills which are transferrable into both the workforce and into everyday life, future-focussed learning identifies skills such as the use of digital technologies, creative problem solving, collaboration, research and inquiry skills and curiosity.

As a Christian College we overarch these skills with a Christian worldview, which not only facilitates the acquisition of these skills but facilitates the acquisition of these skills with a Godly purpose and ethical lens. Students at the College are provided with an array of opportunities to practice these skills both in and outside the classroom. Participating in fundraising events such as ‘Write a Book in Day’, the Rite Journey, Reader’s Cup, Future Problem Solving, The QAMT Quiz, as examples, provide a number of opportunities to connect, collaborate and to act purposely. Additionally, the College is committed to providing opportunities for students to achieve their personal excellence.

Two new subjects in Secondary are being introduced next year, with a view to this. As an addition to the already established Learning Extension and Enrichment Program (LEEP), an elite sports program is being introduced in Year 7 called STEEP (Sporting Talent Extension and Enrichment Program) with a view to foster and develop young athletes in their chose sport. Additionally, LEEP LInC will help students to lead innovation and creativity using entrepreneurial and STEM-related skills.

Finally, our Year 12 students will shortly begin the final leg of their formal schooling journey as they begin their External Assessment. For many, these exams mark the peak of their hard work and dedication to their studies, and towards the end of term, to celebrate their achievements with their peers at the College Formal and Valedictory service. We welcome the College community to pray for these young people as they enter this final phase.

Nichola Welsh,

Head of Teaching and Learning (P-12)

The Pastoral Care Pen

Our children are our greatest treasure, and once again this year we raised funds for Day for Daniel last Thursday, 28 October.

This year, as always, the Daniel Morcombe Foundation focused on child safety, but especially SAFE BEDROOMS, which is a challenge to us as parents!

So many of our children, especially our teens, retreat there for copious amounts of time with their phones and devices.

Here are some quick reminders:

Use devices in shared spaces

• Encourage your children to use technology in places you can check they are okay – such as the living room or the kitchen.
• Keep devices out of bathrooms and bedrooms.

Stick to ‘real life’ friends

• Teach your child that if they don’t know someone in the real world, they are actually a stranger.
• Remind them that they should never meet up with anyone they only know in the online world.

Share their online world

• Sit down with your children and let them show you the apps, games and websites they love

Think before you post

• Help your child understand that, once it’s out there, it won’t go away.
• Show them that, even if they delete something, they can’t control who has seen it, saved it or made a screen shot

Use a strong and secure password

• Help your child to develop a strong password and to keep this password secure.
• Prompt them to sign out before they leave the computer.

Make a Family Technology Agreement

• Work together to outline the ways your family can develop and maintain a healthy, balanced and safe relationship with technology.

Switch off

• Have a safe and healthy balance of online and offline time. Encourage regular technology free times.
• Switch off your devices at night and turn off the family Wi-Fi at bedtime.

Care Hub

Have you visited our Care Hub recently? We have a huge range of resources on our website including:

• Student wellbeing
• Family resources
• Podcasts, playlists and devotions
• Join our Parents Prayer Group
• Submit your prayer requests

Check it out here!

Genesis Christian College – Community Survey

Recently the College facilitated a Community Survey as part of the final stages of our Strategic Planning process. The survey was completed by a significant portion of our parent body and I would like to thank the many families that took time to complete the survey. The survey results have achieved three critical outcomes: valuable information for the College; a benchmark for measuring growth, and future improvement and important feedback on the five key strategic priorities that were identified through the development of the new Strategic Plan.

Below is a summary of the survey results:

• 84% – families responded that their child/ren is/are happy at Genesis Christian College
• 85% – families responded that they would be likely to recommend Genesis Christian College
• 84% – families responded that they were satisfied with the overall education at the College
• 90% of families believe the College has met most of their expectations

Additionally:

• Our community indicated that Genesis creates a safe and inclusive environment for students and that teachers are caring, nurturing, professional and supportive.
• Our community expressed the importance of ensuring that the education that is offered is future orientated, equipping and preparing students for the jobs of the future.
• The Survey revealed the importance of teachers being both engaged and passionate about the subject matter being taught.
• Also highlighted was the strength of our Pastoral Care program with students feeling supported and genuine care being offered.
• Our community highlighted an opportunity that exists to further strengthen the sense of community across the campus, particularly amongst parents. Responders acknowledged that COVID has had an impact on our ability to connect in normal ways.
• Parents expressed the importance of the consistent enforcement of discipline and behavioural expectations.
• The following Strategic Priorities received overwhelming support:

– Robust faith framework

– Future focussed learning

– Engaging culture

– Inspiring staff

– Campus development

We are blessed to be a part of a rich and thriving community but always acknowledge that there is room for improvement and further development. We look forward to sharing with you the new Strategic Plan at the commencement of 2022 and thank you again to the many parents that completed the survey. We are so thankful to you for partnering with us in this important undertaking of nurturing and equipping our young people.

Blessings,

Mr Paul Sterling

Principal