LIGHTHOUSE CHRISTIAN COLLEGE
NEWSLETTER
11 September 2025
Value of the Month - Respect
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of Knowledge - Proverbs 1:7
IMPORTANT DATES
Date | Event |
|---|---|
Friday 12 September | Year 5 MSO Excursion |
Monday 15 - 19 September | HPE Week |
Tuesday 16 September | Year 1 Moonlit Sanctuary Excursion |
Wednesday 17 September | Primary Chinese Cultural Day |
Friday 19 September | Term 3 Concludes |
PRINCIPAL'S REPORT
Respect: A Foundation of Our Community
Dear Parent/Guardian,
Respect is one of the core values of our College and an essential part of daily life within our community. Both students and staff are encouraged to treat one another with dignity, kindness, and consideration.
As followers of Christ, we believe that true love for others begins with genuine respect for their cultures, backgrounds, and personal experiences. This kind of respect is foundational to building meaningful relationships and nurturing a compassionate, inclusive environment.
In Japan, children are taught from an early age to honour their elders, respect authority, and show consideration to their peers. These values are woven into the fabric of Japanese culture, where even a simple bow becomes a powerful expression of gratitude and respect.
At our College, we are proud to see these same values reflected in the achievements of our students. Our Lower Secondary Girls triumphed in the CSEN tournament, and our Primary Team won the B Division Badminton tournament—outstanding accomplishments that were made even more meaningful by the grace, sportsmanship, and respect shown towards their opponents.
Last week’s Finding Nemo Jr. production was another shining example of our students’ dedication and teamwork. We were inspired by the enthusiasm and commitment shown by our primary students throughout their performances. Their hard work and joy brought the story to life in a way that deeply resonated with the audience and reflected the high standards of our College.
It was truly moving to see so many people touched by the students’ involvement in such a high-quality stage event. The presence of the Lord was felt in the theatre, reminding us that He walks alongside our students—guiding, uplifting, and shaping them in all they do.
Wing Leong
Principal
WELLBEING
R U OKAY? DAY
On Tuesday the 9th of September the Secondary Students celebrated R U Ok Day with the Student Representative Council (SRC) team running an informative and fun Chapel service. The year 8 SRC team put together a fun video interviewing other students asking questions about how they know if their friends aren’t okay and then what to do about it. It was great to see so many students being aware of the signs and what they can do to help.
This year’s theme for R U Ok Day is Stronger Together and the idea of being here to hear. Ashleen and Isaiah really highlighted this in their message as they unpacked the idea of being caged or connected. They discussed that we can be surrounded by people and still feel alone or caged in by our feelings. We were not made to live life alone but were built for connection, not just with each other but more importantly with God. They summarised this with Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labour: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up”.
As we go throughout our week let’s remember that we are never truly alone when we have Jesus. Let us do what Jesus did by loving each other by paying attention to those around us. Not being afraid to ask the question of “R U Ok?” and fully listening to each other’s response, because the truth is a conversation really can change a life.
Fiona Hallworth
Secondary Chaplain
RECIPE
A Mauritian recipe to try
Magic Bowl (Bol Renverse in French)
Ingredients
40 g Dried shiitake mushrooms
60 g Chinese sausages approx. 2, sliced
1/2 kg Choy sum approx. 2 medium bunches
Boiling water
800 g Skinless chicken breast approx. 2 large, diced
Olive oil
1 ½ tbsp Dark mushroom soy sauce
1 tbsp Light soy sauce
2 Garlic cloves crushed
Salt
Pepper
1 Carrot julienned
3 tbsp Cornflour
4 tbsp Red wine
6 Eggs
½ Bunch coriander finely chopped to garnish
Cooked white rice
Instructions
- Prepare shiitake mushrooms by placing in a heatproof bowl and soak with boiling water to rehydrate. Allow to sit for 15 minutes, drain and squeeze out any excess water with your hands. Roughly chop and set aside.
- Roughly chop choy sum keeping stem and leaves separate, wash, drain and set aside.
- In a large frypan, add oil, chicken, ½ tbsp dark soy sauce (reserve remaining 1 tbsp for sauce), garlic, and salt/pepper to taste. Fry on high heat until chicken has browned and is almost cooked through.
- Reduce heat to medium and stir in shiitake mushrooms, Chinese sausages, carrot, and choy sum stem. Continue cooking for 5 minutes or until softened, stirring occasionally.
- Meanwhile, prepare the sauce by combining cornflour, the remaining 1 tbsp dark soy sauce, 1 tbsp light soy sauce and red wine in a bowl. Add 2 ½ cups cold water and mix well.
- Add choy sum leaves and the prepared sauce to the stir fry and continue cooking for 5 minutes or until the sauce has thickened.
- In a separate frypan, fry eggs in a little oil to desired texture seasoned with salt and pepper to taste.
- To serve, sprinkle coriander in a round bowl* then place fried egg face down at the base, add stir fry mixture, and top with white rice, pressing firmly to compact. Place a flat serving plate over the bowl and carefully flip over so the bowl is now face down on top of the plate. Serve immediately and reveal ‘magic’ by gently removing the bowl.
Pravin Ramdany
Business Manager
MUSIC
Celebrating our students in Music Ensembles
This week we celebrated the dedication and hard work of our Primary and Secondary students involved in music ensembles at Lighthouse.
Across two lunchtimes,
students came together and enjoyed a lunch of pizza, sushi, fruit and brownies. It was a lovely time of connecting with each other and we were fortunate to have some of our instrumental teachers present as well. They have also been pivotal to the development of our ensemble offerings at Lighthouse.
A huge thanks goes to Mrs Vincy Pang, one of our amazing Music Administrators, for her organisation of this event, and for all the work she does in the administration of our ensemble program.
This year we have had 8 ensembles running weekly at school.
These have included:
LCC Concert Band
Senior Band
Primary Choir
Secondary Choir
String Ensemble
Flute Choir
Wind Ensemble
Xylophone Ensemble
Students involved in these ensembles have come for early morning rehearsals or lunchtime rehearsals and all ensembles have worked towards performing at various events.
The standard of the groups’ playing and singing has shown much progress during the year, and this is largely attributable to the consistent efforts of the students and teachers directing them. I look forward to continuing to see these students shine in their rehearsals and on-stage and thank all of the families involved, for their support and encouragement.
Shari Bhatt
Instrumental Music Coordinator
Secondary Music Coordinator.
The Benefits of Music Ensembles for Students
Participation in music ensembles provides students with opportunities that extend beyond only developing musical ability. Working together in a Choir or instrumental
ensemble fosters a deep sense of connection and belonging, as students form friendships and work towards a shared goal (performing). It also helps young people shape their identity and build confidence through performance and creative expression.
Ensembles help students develop important life skills such as discipline, responsibility, and commitment, with students learning to practise regularly, manage their time, and be accountable to something bigger than themselves. They also offer opportunities for leadership and teamwork, with older or more experienced students often mentoring young/less experiences students.
The cognitive and emotional benefits are equally significant: making music as part of an ensemble develops listening and problem-solving skills, enhances focus and memory, and provides an outlet for managing stress and emotions. Performing together gives students a profound sense of achievement and pride. Ultimately, music ensembles help students grow not only as musicians but also as confident, connected, and capable individuals who understand the joy of creating something meaningful as part of a community.
SPORT
Over the past fortnight, our students have represented our College across multiple sporting competitions and what a success it was! Select students were chosen to compete in the annual CSEN Volleyball Championship, All Schools Badminton tournament (Primary and Secondary) and CSEN Secondary Athletics championship.
Not only did we receive outstanding results, but our students were a display of teamwork, talent and sportsmanship and we couldn’t be more proud of them.
Making a fantastic debut in the CSEN Volleyball Championship, our Junior Girls team came away with a first-place victory in a tight competition.
In the All-Schools Badminton Tournament, our Primary division 2 team achieved an awesome 1st place win, beating the dominant winners in previous years by only 1 point! In Seconary division 2, our Team 1 Girls earned a hard-fought 2nd place against the top schools in the state!
A special congratulations goes to Deng Agook for setting a new CSEN Athletics record in the U16’s 200m event with a time of 23.94 seconds.
As a College we are excited to see the growing sport culture in our school and look forward to building on this strong foundation and momentum in the years to come. Well done to all students who competed in these events. All results from the competitions can be found below.
CSEN Volleyball Championship
Junior Girls – 1st Place Junior Boys – 5th Place Senior Girls – 5th Place Senior Boys – 5th Place
All Schools Badminton Tournament
Primary Div 2 – 1st Place Secondary Girls Div 2 Team 1 – 2nd Place Secondary Girls Div 2 Team 2 – 9-16th Place Secondary Boys Div 2 Team 1 – 17th-24th Place Secondary Boys Div 2 Team 2 – 17th-24th Place
CSEN Secondary Athletics Championship
Victoria Veasny (U13) – 3rd, 100m Sarah Hastings (U21) – 1st, 400m | 2nd, 1500m | 2nd, 800m Anchoretta Tang (U13) – 2nd, 1500m | 3rd, 800m Deng Agook – 1st, U16 200m | 3rd, U21 100m | 2nd, U16 Long Jump Welton Pek (U13) – 3rd, 100m Rosie Fernando (U16) – 4th, 800m Leonka Chandrasena (U16) – 1st, Shot Put Fiona Zhou (U14) – 3rd, Long Jump
U13 Girls 4x100m Relay (I. Taing, A. Tang, T. Tran, V. Veasny) – 1st Place U16 Boys 4x100m Relay (D Agook, L Chandrasena, I Pek, O Veasny) – 4th Placed
Caitlyn Stephens
Sports Administrator
WITHDRAWAL POLICY
Please be reminded of the Term Notice Withdrawal Policy at Lighthouse Christian College. If you are planning to withdraw your child or children from the College, a full term’s written notice is required. The Withdrawal Form can be accessed via SEQTA or collected from the school office.
PRIMARY PRODUCTION OF FINDING NEMO
What a privilege it was bringing this production to life. From the nervous auditions at the end of last year to the confident performances we saw on stage before hundreds of people. It’s been an incredible and rewarding journey. A heartfelt thank you to the parents for faithfully bringing the main cast to early morning rehearsals each week. The students’ dedication and effort shone brightly as they shares their God-given talents with you. I couldn’t be prouder of every single student, both on stage and behind the scenes. Every single student in Primary school had a role and was part of the show. Each one stepped out of their comfort zone, tried something new, and grew so much along the way. Our main 6 characters – Nemo, Marlin and Dory – Wow!!! They put in so much effort attending many before school and lunchtime rehearsals. Well done!
“Let your light shine before others, that they may see your deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:16
Kathryn Samuel
Head of upper primary
PRIMARY - ELC - YEAR 2
MELBOURNE ZOO
Our prep students had a wonderful time visiting the Melbourne Zoo last week. The children were full of excitement as they explored the different exhibits and learned more about God’s amazing creation. A highlight was the reptile house, where Liam from the zoo education team shared interesting facts about snakes, lizards, and turtles. The students also enjoyed watching the seals swim and were delighted by the playful meerkats. Thank you to our parent helpers for supporting us on this memorable excursion!
Portia Martil
Primary Years 3 - 6
YEAR 4 SCIENCE TRIP
Our Year 4 students recently enjoyed an exciting incursion exploring the science of forces and motion. Through a range of hands-on activities and demonstrations, students investigated how pushes, pulls, friction, and gravity affect the way objects move. They had the opportunity to experiment, problem-solve, and apply their learning to real-world scenarios in a fun and engaging way. The incursion sparked curiosity and deepened students’ understanding of physical sciences, leaving them inspired to keep exploring the fascinating ways things move in our everyday world.
Shaila Nagel
Primary teacher
SECONDARY
GRAVITATE: COMMUNITY DAY
On Wednesday, 3rd September, our Year 11 Gravitate students took part in the annual Community Day as part of their Certificate III in Christian Ministry. Throughout the day, they engaged in a range of workshops and activities designed to build both knowledge and practical skills. Our students represented the school exceptionally well, showing enthusiasm, teamwork, and creativity in every activity.
A highlight of the day was when Jacob Tan won an award, taking home a trophy and prize for his outstanding acting skills. Our students also came first in another activity, earning further prizes for their efforts. These achievements reflect not only their talent and dedication but also the strong collaboration they displayed as a team. It was truly an amazing day, filled with new experiences, valuable learning, and opportunities to connect with peers from other schools.
NGV EXCURSION
Our VCE Unit 1/2 Psychology students visited the NGV to explore how artists use and manipulate the principles of visual perception.
They were able to identify and describe critical elements of visual perception such as Gestalt principles, pictorial depth cues and optical illusions. Here’s what they had to say:
The excursion to the NGV was a really cool experience. Being able to see all the art was very interesting. The gallery was massive and full of extravagant art. The optical illusions were very enjoyable. The food was very scrumptious.
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Troy, Jerin, Andrew & Justin
Our experience going to the NGV was excellent. We were given an amazing opportunity to learn about visual perspectives. It was interesting and helpful to be able to actually see paintings and apply the knowledge we learnt to them. In addition to the study tour on visual perception, we were also able to explore the gallery as a class, and we were able to come across many beautiful artworks.
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Lena & Selina
Our Unit 1/2 psychology class went to the National Gallery of Victoria where we had the privilege to be guided by one of the NGV educators, who took us through the gallery. We discussed our initial observations of art pieces then she would further explain the different techniques the artists used to shape our perception. One of the activities that we took part in was to analyse a painting for a minute and then turn around draw what you can remember. This task highlighted how each individual perceives the world through different lenses.
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Anna & Alyssa
LEGAL BEAGLES' EXCURSION
Recently, we had the opportunity to visit the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court and observe many cases, including those involving drug offences, aggravated burglary, domestic violence and bail applications. It was an eye-opening experience that gave us valuable insight into how the justice system operates in real life.
During the hearings, we noticed the Principles of Justice (fairness, equality and access) being acknowledged and upheld. The court demonstrated fairness with proceedings remaining open to the public.
I found it beneficial that most cases were heard publicly as this helped us understand current issues in our society. It also demonstrates how the justice system responds to unlawful actions and how the consequences given are intended to prevent the same offences from happening again.
What stood out most to me was the principle of access, particularly through technology. I noticed some accused individuals appearing via video link, which improves access for those in custody or unable to attend in person. This also makes the process quicker and helps reduce unnecessary delays in hearings.
Overall, I found the experience very fun and intriguing. Visiting the Magistrates’ Court allowed us to see how fairness, equality and access are applied in the Victorian justice system to achieve just outcomes for all. After the excursion, we enjoyed a delicious lunch at Melbourne Central, where we had the chance to reflect and discuss what we had observed.
Shreya Kumar (11A)
SECONDARY BOOK WEEK
This term, we celebrated our first Secondary Book Week at Lighthouse Christian College in many years; and what a week of joy, colour, and community it was!
The celebrations began with a vibrant Book Week Chapel, where our Secondary students gathered to hear The Word War by Mark Hadley and Amy Lees. This powerful story, paired with scripture, reminded us of the life-changing power of words and the impact they have on the world around us. Thevan and Natalie shared an encouraging message, linking Proverbs 18:21 “Death and life are in the power of the tongue” to the theme of transformation and destiny through the words we choose to speak. It was a moment that set the tone for the week and inspired both staff and students.
The excitement continued with our Book Parade, which brought incredible creativity and laughter to the stage. Students embraced the opportunity to dress as their favourite book or comic characters, with each year level electing their 3 best-dressed students to parade in front of their peers. The costumes were outstanding, the energy was contagious, and the joy on display made this event a highlight of the week. Staff also stepped into character, adding to the fun and showing that Book Week truly is for everyone.
What made this celebration even more meaningful was its mission focus. Through their gold coin donations, our Secondary students raised funds to support children in Yarrabah, a remote Indigenous community in Far North Queensland. These contributions will help provide access to books and library resources, planting seeds of literacy and hope in young lives.
Although the official Book Week festivities concluded with much celebration, the journey did not end there. Students were set to continue reflecting on the message of The Word War through three days of devotions in their homerooms and they received a bookmark with a Bible verse - a lasting reminder of God’s promise for their lives and the importance of using words to build up and encourage others.
It was a truly joyful and meaningful week, one that blended fun, creativity, scripture, and mission in a way that strengthened our school community.
We are so thankful to God for the success of this celebration, and we look forward to making Secondary Book Week an annual highlight at Lighthouse Christian College for many years to come!
Mrs. Gosai-Jesudhason
Secondary Teacher
FAITH CAPTAIN TERM 3
This term has been a meaningful and exciting journey as we serve as your Faith Captains. Our focus has been on making the chapel a place where everyone can feel engaged, encouraged, and connected in their walk with God.
One way we’ve been doing this is by introducing simple but fun initiatives to keep the chapel fresh and enjoyable. We’ve added interactive elements like short challenges, skits, and opportunities for students to be more involved in different parts of the program. Worship has also been a big focus. We’ve encouraged more participation by introducing a mix of familiar songs and inviting student song suggestions. These small changes have helped create a livelier and more welcoming atmosphere. We’re excited to keep building on them in the weeks ahead.
Looking forward, one of the biggest events coming up is Encounter Day/Camp. We’re both really excited about this chance to grow in faith while enjoying time together as a school community. There will be fun games and activities that bring people together. Most importantly, Encounter is about creating space to meet with God in a personal and powerful way. We hope everyone who joins us will not only have a great time but also take away something meaningful for their faith journey.
We can’t wait to see what God continues to do as we move through the rest of this term.
Faith Captains 2025
Elijah Samuel & Natalie Khoo
YEAR 10 SRC ARTICLE
Anna
Hi, I’m Anna Kurian, and I am the SRC captain for 10A. This term, our class has had the opportunity to collaborate with a Year 1 classroom, which has been such a rewarding experience. The Year 10s really enjoyed spending their mornings with the Year 1 students, building connections and sharing in activities that encouraged thinking about the Bible and Jesus love for us, while also having a lot of fun together. It has been such a joy to see both classes grow in community, faith, and friendship during our time together, and I look forward to seeing how we continue for the rest of the year.
Ashleen
Hey everyone! Ashleen from 10B here. It’s been an absolute pleasure to serve you all so far. It has been such an encouragement to be able to not only work individually in homeroom to create a space of community and sense of belonging to start off the mornings, but also across the school as we continue with our work in Breakfast Club and had the privilege to host the RUOK? Day chapel for Week 8. Our homeroom has started off a journey in connecting with the younger year levels in homeroom, and we even have a plan organized for some of us to serve the elderly community in an aged care center soon. I can’t wait to see how we finish this year off in service towards all of you!
Rosie
Hi, my name is Rosie Fernando from 10C. Over this term, our class has finally had the settling of a homeroom teacher, Miss Giosis. We have been encouraging students to take us to prayer each morning with someone new praying each day. It has been amazing watching those who are more shy and less enthusiastic to pray really come out of their shell and begin to become more confident with praying aloud and public speaking in general. As SRCs we had the honor of hosting the RUOK day chapel. This was a very fun experience and helped us all to join together and work on something bigger than ourselves and even our homerooms. It was a big success and really brought us all together.
LIGHTHOUSE CHRISTIAN COLLEGE EVENTS
CYBER-SAFETY PARENT WORKSHOP
We were privileged to have Brett Ryan, CEO of Focus on the Family Australia, lead a highly informative session on managing technology at home. Brett shared practical strategies around screen time, online safety, and navigating exposure to inappropriate content, while also providing valuable guidance from a Biblical perspective to equip families in raising children with wisdom and confidence in today’s tech-driven culture.
A big thank you to the families who attended—we hope you were able to take away invaluable insights from the session. For those who were unable to attend, we highly recommend watching the video recording, which offers practical guidance on how we can better support our children and students in an ever-emerging world of cybersafety. Please note, the video link will expire on 31 December 2025, so we encourage all families to view it before then.
Video link: Cyber Safety Parent Workshop
SPRING INTO FUN
We’re excited to share our Spring Into Fun Holiday Activities for young people aged 12–25 who live, work, study, or have a strong connection to the City of Greater Dandenong.
Running from 22 September – 3 October, this program is packed with free and low-cost events to keep the spring break fun, creative and active.
What’s on:
- Creative Writing Workshop - Dandenong
- Minigolf, Maze and Games
- Kitchen Takeover: Pancake Edition
- Soccer Clinic
- Creative Writing Workshop – Springvale
- Inflatable World Adventure
- Holiday Skate Workshop
- Active in Nature
Dates: 22 September – 3 October
Cost: Free or low cost
Bookings required: Holiday Activities | Youth
IMPACT Program
Designed to help young people build skills and explore new pathways, our IMPACT programs are on offer again this school holidays:
Foodie Futures | Ages 16-25 | $20
- Day 1: Thursday 2 October | 10am – 2.30pm | Dandenong Civic Centre, 225 Lonsdale Street Dandenong
- Day 2: Friday 3 October | 10am – 4.30pm | 39 Clow Street Dandenong
Register here: IMPACT Volunteering - Foodie Futures | Youth
